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Chapter Text

Peridots mother could be heard doing something downstairs. She was quite abusive to Peridot, and it just got worse the more Peridot got older. Peridot was up in her room. It was basically the only safe place she had. She was about to write in her diary, which she didn't, couldn't let her mom find out about. Peridot was 8 years old, in 3rd grade. She didn't really have any friends, the kids in her school was annoying. Everything was annoying...

Dear diary...

Peridot sighed.

You're the only thing I can trust, aren't you? It is just so bad... Mother is being annoying like always and... It's really bad. I don't have anyone, I just want to disappear.

The air was still, and there was nothing but the sound of rain hitting Peridots window seal.

Maybe if I tell you everything that happened to me, the day would be better...  I woke up, and Mother was already... Well... Yelling at me. I didn't even do anything wrong, I just said "hello"...

At breakfast, I had to eat some gross... things. Then after all that, Mother forced me to go to school...

And of course, those kids were waiting for me. They said I am weird and that I don't fit here...

I tried to ignore them... But it was so hard and everything hurt... Why... Why can't I fit in? Why does everyone think I'm weird? Am I...?

Mother always told me that I'm worthless, and I'm starting to believe it... I just want to disappear...

Peridot started to cry quietly. She sniffled, wiping away a tear.

Dear diary,

please don't betray me, please...

The day finally came to an end. I was crying on the playground, and now I am alone at home, hiding.

I don't know if I will ever be worth anything in this world... I'm so worthless... 

Peridots eyes started to tear up again. She tried to stop crying, but she couldn't. The tears just kept falling.

Dear diary,

Another terrible day... I'm crying in my room again, trying not to make any noise. I don't know what is wrong with me, why I keep crying. Why should I even exist, if I don't have anything good to offer this world...?

Peridot sobbed quietly, tears dropping onto the pages of the diary.

It's all bad...

Nobody cares about me...

Mother hates me...

Kids at school hate me...

Everyone hates me...

Everyone calls me "weird"...

Even I think I am weird...

Am I really weird...?

Why can't I fit in?

Peridots grip on her pencil tightened. She couldn't take writing anymore, she would just have a bigger breakdown. 

Dear diary,

Peridot sniffled, and coughed.

My throat is hurting... Maybe I'll get fever... I hope I do...

I wish I just didn't exist...

I am such a weird, weird thing... Mother... Why did you ever have me?

She brought her book over to her bed, crying, and curling up in the bed.

P.S. If you don't see me tomorrow, you'll know why.

P.P.S. Mother, if you'll ever read this... I hate you so much.

She threw the book in whichever direction, not really thinking, then covers herself up with her blanket and  continues crying.

"I wish I didn't care about anything... I wish I wasn't weird... I wish Mother loved me..." She said quietly, trying to calm down. She wished she had someone to talk to, she really needed it.

 Soon, she accidentally fell asleep. It was a good thing that she locked her diary before throwing it, and a good thing that it fell behind her laundry basket.

Chapter Text

A small girl with short, blonde hair stood in front of her mother. A tall woman with long, blonde hair. Her name was Aurelia.

"Now, listen. I will be back to pick you up a couple minutes late." She said. The girl picked at a rhinestone on her jacket. "Peridot," Aurelia repeated.

"Okay." Peridot mumbled.

"Okay," Aurelia continued, "and I better not get any calls today about your bad behavior. Got it?"

"Yes mam," Peridot said quietly.

"Off you go." Her mother said with a wave of her hand.

It was 5:30 and her mother still wasn't there. Peridot groaned, slouching in her seat.

"Don't worry, Peridot. She'll be here soon." Her teacher reassured her. Peridot rolled her eyes a little. No she won't, she thought sarcastically.

She was in her homeroom teachers class. She didn't like the teacher. She was loud, obnoxious, loud, and bright. Her whole classroom was.

She had big words stuck to the walls in rainbow that said '3RD GRADE'. They weren't even in rainbow order ether. And they were bright neon colors. Peridot rolled her eyes. Fully this time.

"Mother should've come to pick me up by now..." Peridot mumbled to herself, looking out of the window down at all the cars. So many thoughts was racing through her head.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

I shouldn't have trusted her...

I hope she'll never come for me, I can't live with this anymore...

She just sat and wait patiently, still thinking. 

"Can I go to the restroom?" Peridot asked, getting an idea. The teacher said something, probably yes. But Peridot didn't care, she just wanted to go while she had a chance.

She stomped downstairs, hurting her feet a little. As soon as she saw the doors to the pickup line, she ran for them.

"Freedom is mine!" She said as she tried to run out of it. She barged into it with a thump, and fell back. They were locked!

"Woah there, tiny! Those doors are locked!" Said a voice that came from behind her. Peridot got up, whipping around.

There was a teacher behind her. Strong, tattoos, dark skin, and rainbow obnoxious dreads. Peridot squint her eyes at the teacher.

The teacher squint back with a smile. She extended out an hand, in which Peridot refused. Peridot stood up, about to walk off.

"Wait, where are you going? Were you called down to the office?" The woman asked. She thought that the girl would ask her to unlock the doors, especially if she needed out.

Peridot stood there, thinking of what to say.

"Uhm... M-my parent...s aren't here yet," Peridot said in a quiet voice, growing shy.

"Oh. Well, you need to come with me to the front desk then, not go outside!" The woman said, reaching a hand out. "Come with me to the front office, we can go see what's causing them to be late!" She said. Peridot blankly stared at her hand. 

"No..." Peridot pushed her hand away, "No, thanks... My mother never comes on time... I'm just fine here...." She sighed. "... and besides... you're too loud. I don't like loud." Peridot said.

"No offense." Peridot gives her that I hate you glance, yet again. She just stood and wait... 

"Oh, uhm..." The teacher blinked, slouching a little, getting the hint and lowering her hand. 

"Yes, exactly, I would be very uncomfortable with you... You're too loud and I need my space..." Peridot said, sighing. 

"My mother will be here at some point, so I would appreciate if you will leave me alone to wait..." Peridot gives her another hateful and disgusted look. "Also, your art is ugly..."

The teachers eyes widened.

Peridot gave up, and stayed standing there.

The teacher blinked, confused, shocked, and a little hurt. She had really just got her feelings hurt by a 3rd grader. 

Peridot sighed. "Now leave me alone..." Peridot said, resisting the desire to look at her again.

"Oh, well," The teacher nervously chuckled, "Well, actually, I was told to come and find you..." she said.

"... Wait, what? Why?" Peridot looked at her again, this time with pure annoyance.

"... Because they said that you haven't been picked up yet, and they called your teacher and she said that you had went to the bathroom." The teacher explained.

"Huh? But I waited here for a while... I think that mother lied to me... She promised to pick me up... She promised.... Maybe she's not coming at all... Just another lie, like with my birthday present this year... But... Why did you have to come find me? Why do they even care about me at all...?" Peridot asked, still annoyed. 

"Because you're one of our students..." The teacher said quietly. "And I'm sure she didn't lie to you!" 

"... Mother always lies to me. I don't know why should I believe her again..." Peridot gently rested her head on her hand. "So... Now you're gonna escort me to the office... I guess I have no other choice..."

"Oh, well, I guess you don't!" The teacher giggled nervously. These was one of those student interactions where she didn't know how to respond, but worse. Way, way, way worse.

Peridot rolls her eyes and gets up. "Well, okay... But don't talk to me. I don't like talking..." She gently put her jacket on. "Let's go..."

The teacher lead them into the front office.

"Hey! This is the little one whose parents haven't came to pick her up yet,"

 The woman said, trying to make it sound like they weren't expecting her. Peridot rolled her eyes at being called little. I'm not little!

"What should we do?" The woman asked a little quieter. 

"Well... All we can do is try to call, but they're not answering..." The person behind the desk said, picking up the phone, dialing a number.

After no answer, they put the phone down again and sighed. "They're not going to answer." They shook their head, looking down.

"But..."

"Bismuth," the front office worker looked back up at her. Bismuth had tears in her eyes. "They're not going to answer."

Bismuth sniffled.

"Could you take her over to your class? I'll speak with our counselors, but... if that is what's happening, then there's nothing we can exactly do about it." they said. "You can take her over to your room, and maybe go up to her teacher and ask if she's ever heard her talk about anything going on at home," they suggested, and Bismuth nodded. she sighed.

"I just can't believe this is happening again after just a year. It's sad..." Bismuth said. The worker nodded.

"Alright..." Bismuth left from behind the desk where she was talking to the worker, and Peridot, who was sitting in a chair a little away from the front of the desk followed. 

"So, what's your name?" Bismuth asked, breaking the silence.

"Peridot," the girl answered.

"Peridot, huh? Mine's Bismuth! We both have gem names." Bismuth said. Peridot blinked. That certainly was something she didn't know. She always thought to was something her parents had just made up. Peridot has always never really liked it, but she didn't hate it, ether. She just thought it was random, and out of the blue. Bismuth lead Peridot into a classroom. It had a bunch of toys, little tables, and little chairs, so Peridot assumed it was preschool classroom.

"Alright, this is my classroom! You can sit at one of those tables, and I can get you a coloring page if you want," Bismuth said.

Peridot sat down in a chair, thinking. She nodded. She always had liked coloring, it was an escape from reality for her. Bismuth smiled a bit, grabbing a coloring sheet from her desk drawer  for Peridot. She sat it down in front of her, going over to her desk again. 

Peridot grabbed a purple marker out from the storage caddy Bismuth had at the center of the table, taking the lid off and coloring in the butterflies wings. 

Bismuth had some paperwork to do, so she decided that she could go it in front of Peridot and do it. It could be a way for her to get to know Peridot better. She collected her stuff, moving over to the table Peridot was at. Then, she got a better look at Peridot.

She had platinum blonde hair that was frizzy, green eyes, freckles you could only see if you were up-close to her, and a birthmark on her forehead that was the shape of an upside down triangle. Bismuth watched her color, noticing how Peridot was very careful about not going over the lines, and making it look neat. She was also pressing down hard on the crayon. Bismuth couldn't tell if it was because she was mad, or didn't like to have white spots on her paper. If she was mad, then she was sure good at hiding it. The phone rang. 

Bismuth got up and went over to her desk, quickly picking up the phone. It was Peridots teacher.

"Is Peridot down there with you? The front office just called and said that you had brought her down to your room." 

"Yeah, she is. I have her down here coloring. Do you need her for something?" Bismuth asked, being a bit confused at why her teacher would call if she knew that Bismuth had her. 

"Her backpack is still down here, along with her jacket. I've already looked through her backpack, found nothing. Before they hung up, they said that they would call the police, and for  you to bring Peridot down to the conference room."

Bismuth sighed. "Got it. Just... we'll get her stuff when we go over to the office." 

"Sounds good. I need to finish up getting things that the kids left behind out of their desks and feeding the hamster, but give me an update when you're finished bringing her to the office."

"Will do..." Bismuth replied, putting the phone down.

"I'm done," Peridot said in a small voice. Bismuth picked her paper up off of her desk, examining it. For an eight year old, it was actually pretty good. She barely went out of the lines, and by the looks of it, she only colored in one direction. 

"That's really good..." Bismuth said. Peridot's expression stayed neutral. 

"I know." Peridot said with a small shrug. Bismuth smiled a bit. "Now, I know we've gone back and forth a lot already, but would you mind coming down to the conference room with me?" Bismuth asked. Peridot's expression changed to one of annoyance, but she still nodded, getting up out of her seat.

To Peridot's despise, they went up to her homeroom to get her backpack and jacket. Then, they went to the front office and into a hallway, with two noisy birds in a cage. They went a little past that, to another room with a long table. There was a counselor there, too. Peridot didn't like her. She always tried to get Peridot to tell her secrets to them. She was nosey. Both of them were. Their principal was also there, too. She didn't like him, ether. He made Peridot sit in a seat and do work, when she got into detention for not being able to do her work because she kept getting distracted. She didn't like much people at that school. 

A little later, some police came in. She knew what they would try to do: baby talk to her and get her to tell her secrets. Nope. Not going to happen. Too smart.

Everything in the room was loud. The clock clicking, the lights buzzing, the counselor typing on her keyboard. 

There was a loud knock at the door, and three more people came in. Peridot sent them a glare, slouching down in her seat.

A social worker, a police officer, and a woman she has never seen before. Peridot was still quiet, and angry. Bismuth sat next to her. What were they doing?

The woman introduced the social worker and the police officer to Bismuth, who didn't say anything to her. Peridot continued to ignore everyone, refusing to make eye contact. She hated social workers and the police for what her parents had done. They were the reason they couldn't see their child anymore. They were the reason she became so angry in the first place. She was just a kid, trying to figure out how to live. It wasn't fair. She had to hold her anger back so much, especially now when she was put on the spot like this.

"Hi everyone." Said one lady, the one she didn't know. "I am a social worker, and this is Deputy Police Officer. Deputy Police Officer and I are going to talk to you for a while about what's going on at home, okay darling?"

"... Fine." Peridot said annoyed. Bismuth turned to look at her, still not saying anything. She hated social workers. They were always nosy and try to get you to reveal more than you were comfortable sharing. Peridot just sat there, just listening to her while being angry at everything. How dare they make her angry like this?!

"So, we have been receiving some complaints about you at school. About your behavior. How are things going at home?" The social worker said.

"Fine." Peridot said, still refusing to make eye contact with anyone, just looking at the floor. "We're just... fine."

"Okay, good. Are you getting enough sleep?"

"Yes."

"How are your grades? You haven't been getting into any trouble, have you?"

"No."

"Good. Are you getting enough food at home?"

"... Yes." Was all she responded with.

"Okay, that's good! How about your mental health? Have you been dealing with any problems mentally? Or physically?"

Peridot took a minute to respond, her eyes beginning to get watery as the questions kept piling up. Bismuth looked over at her worriedly.

"... No." Peridot finally said quietly. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? Are you worried or upset about anything?"

Peridot took a moment to respond, wiping away her tears as she continued to look down at the floor.

"No..." She softly said, trying to convince herself of this lie. "I'm fine."

The social worker nodded. "Alright, good. Do you have a safe home with your parents?"

Peridot looked conflicted for a moment, still refusing to make eye contact. She eventually mumbled, "Yes."

"Alright, okay. And do you have any friends at school?"

"I don't have any friends." She said with a frown.

"Oh... Well, it's important to make friends and have other people help you when you're upset. Does anything make you sad or upset?"

"No."

"What about your family? How are things with you and your parents?"

"... I don't know."

"Are your parents... are they treating you well?"

"I think so."

"You think so?" The worker asked.

Peridot nodded, still refusing to make eye contact with anyone. Her eyes got watery again as she continued to lie about everything being okay. Bismuth could see right through her, and she was getting frustrated at the lies. She wanted Peridot to be honest.

"Yes. They're always nice." Peridot said. "They just want what's best for me."

"Have you ever felt... scared or uncomfortable at home?" The social worker asked.

Peridot was quiet, fidgeting with her hands while rapidly thinking up lies. 

"... No." Peridot said, but the lie was starting to become harder. She was still refusing to make eye contact as she spoke. Bismuth knew that Peridot didn't want to lie. But, what choice did she have?

"Are you sure? Do you like living here?"

"... Yes..." Peridot said hesitantly. "I like living here."

"How is your living situation at home?"

"Good."

"What about your school life? Has that been going okay?"

Peridot rolled her eyes. "Everyone here hates it."

The social worker raised her eyebrows, shocked at what Peridot said. "What do you mean?"

"The students and teachers are so stupid." Peridot said without a thought, still refusing to make eye contact with anyone. "They always bother me and don't leave me alone."

"You don't get along with people at school?" the social worker asked, looking concerned.

Bismuth gave Peridot a look, shocked at what she said.

"They're all loud... and mean... and loud..." Peridot said quietly.

The social worker raised her eyebrows again, looking concerned. "Why do you say they're loud?"

"They're always shouting. They're so noisy." Peridot said. "They don't know how to keep their voices down."

The social worker sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. She knew exactly what Peridot was talking about.

"Is anyone being mean to you?" The social worker asked, concern growing by the second.

"Yes." Peridot said quietly. "Everyone."

"Oh no..." The social worker muttered, shaking her head. She knew exactly what Peridot was talking about.

"Can you tell me what they're doing?"

Peridot took a minute to respond. She was debating whether or not to share her experience with the social worker. "They... they hurt me..."

"Oh my goodness..." The woman muttered. "How do they hurt you?"

"They...they hit me..." Peridot said quietly, with shame. "They push me around and call me names. I don't like it, and I tell them to stop, but they never do..."

Bismuth felt rage building up inside of her. She was furious. How could people treat Peridot like this?

The social worker took a deep breath, looking concerned. Clearly, this was news to her, and she wasn't expecting it.

"Have... have you ever told anyone at school, like a teacher or an administrator?"

"Yes, but nothing ever happened. They said it was just kids being kids and I shouldn't take it personally. That's what they always say."

Peridot sounded defeated, as if she had given up on trying to make the situation better.

The social worker took a minute to process everything that Peridot had said, feeling even more concerned than before.

"That's...not okay."

"I know..." Peridot said quietly, looking down at the floor again. "But I don't think they care what I think. I'm just weird and different."

The social worker looked up at Bismuth for support, not quite knowing what to say or do to help.

"You are not weird or different." Bismuth said firmly, putting her arm around Peridot protectively. "You have never done anything wrong."

"You are an intelligent and creative young woman who deserves to be loved and accepted for who you are. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Peridot looked up at Bismuth with tears in her eyes, feeling thankful for her.

The social worker nodded, looking impressed with how Bismuth spoke to Peridot. She couldn't have said it better herself.

The social worker sighed. "Well, thank you for telling me all of this. It's important that you feel safe at school and home."

Peridot looked up at her with sadness in her eyes. She didn't feel safe anywhere.

"Would you be willing to talk to a guidance counselor at the school? They might be able to help address the bullying issue with the other students."

Peridot just shook her head.

The social worker nodded, understanding that Peridot didn't trust the guidance counselor. "Okay, I understand. What about your parents? Have you tried talking to them about this?"

Peridot shook her head, wiping away her tears. "They wouldn't care. They think I'm fine."

"Well, that isn't the case. You're clearly troubled and struggling with things. It's also important that you feel loved and supported by your family."

Peridot looked up at the social worker, feeling a bit desperate. The thought of talking to her parents was terrifying. She had never been vulnerable around them.

"What if my parents get angry at me? They wouldn't like hearing that I have problems..."

"Why would they get angry at you?" The social worker asked.

"They don't like talking about serious things. They want me to be their perfect little girl, and when I bring up problems, they get upset."

Bismuth looked concerned, knowing exactly what Peridot was talking about.

"Do you feel safe talking to your parents about how you're feeling?" The social worker asked.

Peridot shook her head. "No."

The social worker felt even more concerned. She could tell that Peridot was really struggling with her family dynamic. It was something that she wanted to address further with her.

"Can you tell me some more about your parents? What are they like in general?"

Peridot was quiet, not sure what to say. She had a million things she could say about her parents, but most of it was negative.

Bismuth looked concerned, noticing the silence.

"Do they make you feel safe at home?"

Peridot shook her head. "No."

The social worker nodded, looking concerned. "It sounds like you don't feel safe or respected at school, and you don't feel safe at home. It's no wonder why you don't like living here."

She paused for a moment, thinking about what to say next.

"Are you concerned that you might be removed from them?"

"Yes..." Peridot said quietly, almost inaudibly.

"That's understandable." The social worker said. "Have you ever considered living with someone else?"

Peridot paused. After a while, she shrugged.

"... Maybe..." Peridot muttered quietly, still not sure what to say.

"Would you like to live with someone else if you could?"

"I don't know..." She wasn't sure if she should say what she was thinking.

Bismuth gave Peridot a loving smile. "It's okay to tell the truth," she said softly.

Peridot thought for a moment. "Yes..." Peridot said, looking at the social worker. "I want to live with someone else."

"You do?" The social worker nodded. "I can understand that. You have every right to."

Peridot shook her head. "But... If I say that, then... what happens next? Am I going to get taken away from my parents?"

Bismuth looked concerned. She could see that Peridot was feeling anxious, not sure of what she wanted.

"Well, that depends on what we think is best for you. If you live in an unstable or unsafe environment, then we might recommend you live with someone else." The social worker said.

"...But... I don't want to get taken away from my parents." It was a hard thing to say.

"Sometimes, we need to make hard choices that are best for us." The social worker said. "You might not realize it now, but it's possible you would be better off with someone else. Would you be willing to think about it?"

Peridot looked conflicted, feeling nervous. She was afraid of what might happen if she said yes. It would be a big decision.

Bismuth spoke up. "Listen, just because things aren't fair, doesn't mean you have to sit back and take it." She said. "It's not right. And if it's not right, then you gotta put it right." Bismuth said. "But nobody else is gonna put it right for you. You're the only one who can change your story."

Peridot nodded, listening to Bismuth's words. They resonated with her, making her think about her own situation.

"Yeah... You're right." Peridot said. "I should be the one to change my story..."

The social worker looked at Bismuth, impressed at how well she spoke to Peridot. She was a good friend. The social worker then turned back to Peridot, smiling.

"That's right, Peridot. You have the power to make the changes in your life that you need to be happy and safe."

Peridot hesitantly nodded.

The social worker nodded, looking at Peridot in a reassuring way. She could tell that Peridot was nervous about what was coming next.

"Alright. Let's discuss some living options. First, do you have any relatives or friends you're close to who might be interested in taking you in for a while?"

Peridot thought for a moment.

"I don't really know anyone in my family..." She shrugged.

The social worker nodded, writing something down on her clipboard. "Okay. How do you feel about living with a stranger?"

"I don't know anyone in my family ether. Wouldn't that make them a stranger too?" Peridot asked, a little annoyed.

The social worker smiled, a little taken aback by Peridot's bluntness. "Well, yes... But, I mean an actual stranger you've never met before, like in a foster home."

Peridot just shrugged.

"...You know what? Let's just... not limit our options, okay?" The social worker said, still writing on her clipboard. "We will discuss the specifics of what you want and what you need in a new living situation. Sound good?"

Peridot nodded, feeling a bit relieved. At least she had options.

The social worker wrote down another thing on her clipboard, keeping a professional demeanor but feeling a little confused. Was Peridot really not bothered by the idea of living with a stranger?

"Alright, how do you feel about living with another foster child? Would you be comfortable living with someone your age?"

She shook her head.

The social worker nodded, writing something else on her clipboard. "Okay. How about a group home situation? Where you live with multiple other foster children?"

Bismuth was watching intently, concerned about what kind of living situation Peridot was actually comfortable with. She wondered if she would be okay being around a lot of people.

Peridot thought for a moment. She shrugged. "I don't know. I don't know what it's like to live with other kids." She shrugged again.

The social worker nodded, making another note on her clipboard. "Okay. How about living with an adult? How do you feel about that?"

Bismuth frowned, feeling a little worried. What if Peridot wasn't comfortable with any of these options?

Peridot thought for a moment. She rolled her eyes. She thought it was quite a foolish question, considering she's in 3rd grade and doesn't really know how to take care of herself. "If I don't live with an adult, who would take care of me then?"

The social worker looked surprised by how confident and mature Peridot sounded. Clearly, she had been thinking a lot about this and had come up with some valid concerns.

"That's exactly right." The social worker said. "If you don't live with an adult, who would take care of you?"

Bismuth watched intently, feeling proud of Peridot. She never would've been able to have a conversation like this when she was little. She was really impressed.

Peridot let out a little silent sigh. "It just common sense, really." She said.

The social worker nodded, feeling impressed by Peridot. She really was a smart cookie.

"Well, it might seem like common sense to you, but it isn't always to children your age." The social worker said, smiling warmly at Peridot. "You're clearly ahead of your peers in this way."

Bismuth nodded, feeling proud of Peridot. She was smarter than she gave herself credit for.

"So... would you be interested in living with an adult then?"

Peridot paused again. "Yeah..." She nodded. Do I really have that much of a choice? 

The social worker nodded, taking down some more notes. "Alright. And how do you feel about sharing a room with someone else?"

Peridot thought about it for a moment. It would be nice to have someone else around, but would she be comfortable sharing a room with someone she just met? The social worker didn't seem concerned by this, but Bismuth worried a bit.

"I dunno... What if I don't get along with my roomate?" Peridot asked. "What if they're mean?"

The social worker nodded in agreement. "That is a very real possibility. Sometimes, people who are in foster care do not always get along well with their room mate..."

Bismuth nodded, feeling a bit concerned. What if Peridot got someone really mean for a roommate? What would she do then?

"But don't you think it's worth trying?" The social worker said, trying to sound reassuring. "You might meet someone you like!"

Peridot glared at her.

The social worker held her gaze, sensing a bit of hostility. "I understand how you feel, but sometimes we just have to take risks, you know? That's part of growing up." The social worker said. "What about a trial period? That way, you can try out living with someone else and see how you like it. If it's not working out, we can always switch you to a different living situation."

Peridot shook her head. "I don't like change..." she said.

Bismuth raised her hand. "I have a recommendation," she said. "... If that's possible...?"

The social worker nodded, listening to Bismuth's idea. "Of course! Recommendations are always welcome. What would you suggest?"

Bismuth nodded. "I have have some good friends, who's in a foster program... Well, was, I don't exactly know if they are now. But they have two kids, one younger, and one older." She said, looking over to Peridot. "They adopted a foster, but the youngest they're his caretakers." She explained. "They're super reasonable. I think they'd be best for her."

The social worker looked at Bismuth in a way that seemed impressed. She clearly had a lot of insight into this kind of stuff, and it was clear that she's seen and heard it all when it came to the foster system.

"That's a good idea." The social worker said, writing something down on her clipboard. "I will keep that recommendation in mind, and I will research these people to make sure they are safe adults who could possibly take care of Peridot."

Peridot couldn't help but smile at Bismuth. Her idea sounded really good.

Peridot's voice was mixed with relive, caution, nervousness, fear, hurt, sadness... It was plain she just wanted to be free. "Thanks..."

The social worker closed her clipboard and leaned back in her chair, taking a deep breath and thinking more on what she wants to say. She clearly took Peridot's feelings into consideration, but she also knew that sometimes you just have to say things the way they are.

"I know this is a tough situation for you, Peridot." The social worker said. "You don't have a choice in this matter."

Bismuth looked concerned, seeing where this was going.

"Sometimes, things don't work out the way you like them. You just have to make the best of what you have."

Peridot just nodded. "I understand."

Chapter Text

Ring ring, ring ring rin- 

Garnet picked up the phone, answering it. "Hello?"

"Hello, are you still in the fostering program? Here it says you are, but I just wanted to make sure." A voice said from over the phone. Garnet gestured to Pearl, who was playing with 5 year old Steven. Pearl knew by the look on Garnets face, that it was important. She stood up, going over to where Garnet was on the phone. Steven curiously watched after her, and got up to follow her. Pearl whispered for him to stay over there, and Steven obeyed, even though he didn't want to. 

"I'll play with you in a second," Pearl reassured him, holding up a finger to her mouth. 

"Yes, we are, why do you ask?" Garnet asked, putting them on speakerphone. Pearl looked confused. 

"We've got suggested by someone that you would be a good fit for a kid in our foster program. Her name is Peridot," Garnet hummed. A gem name. "She's had a rough past, and a few teachers wanted someone who would be patient with her. They said that she has a hard time learning, and that you two were patient and kind, and would give her affection. Could you take another in?"

Garnet stared at Pearl, who stared back. Pearl shrugged, a troubled look on her face. Garnet turned back to the phone.

"Can you tell us more about her?" She asked. 

"Of course! She's eight years old," Pearls eyes sparkled, and she looked over to Garnet. "she has came from an abusive family, she's snappy, and... sometimes complicated, she does do well around other kids, but that might be because she never talks to them, teachers have reported that she has a hard time listening to directions, she has a really bad habit of calling people... 'clods', she usually gets into a lot of  trouble, and she's a picky eater." 

Garnet stayed quiet for a couple moments, looking at Pearl. She sighed. "Do we have time to think about it?" She asked.

"A week. Call back if you decide sooner."

"Alright, thanks, bye," Garnet put down the phone. It was silence for a few moments.

"What do we do?" Pearl asked, the first to speak up.

"I... don't know." Garnet shrugged. "What do you want to do?" 

Pearl sighed. "I mean, we weren't planning on fostering another kid..."

"We weren't planning on being Steven's caretakers, either." Garnet point out.

"True, but this is different." Pearl said. Garnet nodded.

"... Steven is five, Amethyst is fifteen, and she would be eight. That's... a pretty decent age gap." Garnet said.

"And that would make her only three years older than Steven," Pearl added.

"Do you think she would do good with Amethyst?" Garnet asked.

"That's... not really her to decide, though. She'd just have to deal with it, if we did decide to foster her." Pearl said. Steven got up, coming over to them.

"What wrong?" He asked. 

"Nothing's wrong, darling, don't worry, we're just... discussing something." She said to him, placing a calm hand on his shoulder. She turned back to Garnet and sighed. "Look, I don't know about this. A new kid, who might have many behavioral problems? Isn't that risky?"

She nodded.

"You're right... I'm just worried she'll go to the wrong person." Garnet said. 

"But... we also need to prioritize Steven. We can't take in just anybody Garnet. It doesn't work like that." She put a hand to her face, thinking.

"I know..." Garnet sighed again.

"Do we have time to... Meet her? Talk to her?"

"A week." Garnet said. "Maybe we could have some extra time to think about it, though, if we were their first choice..."

Garnet nodded.

"Alright, that sounds good." She said. She looked down to Steven, who was looking at them with a worried expression, and gave him a small smile.

"Alright, darling, go back to playing with your car, okay? Garnet and I have to talk some more." Pearl said. Steven looked up at her with concerned eyes.

"O'tay..." Steven looked down. "What doing?" He asked again.

She sighed, ruffling his hair and smiling at him. "Don't need to worry about that, kiddo. Just go play."

Steven looked at her for a moment, before turning around and walking off to go play.

The second his back was turned, she looked at Garnet. "Well, this is gonna be one heck of a week."

Garnet nodded. "That's for sure."

"Maybe she'll be cute and adorable and we all fall in love with her the second we meet her... Or... the opposite, which I'm terrified of." Pearl said, with a groan.

"She needs to be good with Steven. Or else, Steven will just drive her crazy. Or, he might soften her up." Garnet smiled.

"Well, of course he will, it's Steven we're talking about, after all. He'll befriend the new kid, or try to. What if she doesn't like him, though?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm saying. It might feel like a 'bad' environment for her." Garnet said.

Garnet scoffed. "Amethyst was 4 years old when we first fostered her. She's still got the same temper." 

"I know, but Amethyst is... well, Amethyst, after all. Everyone knows she's a troublemaker, but everyone loves her just the same. This kid could be...anything."  Pearl said.

Garnet nodded. "Gosh, another thing, how is Amethyst going to react?"

"I think she'll be disappointed at first, but once she gets to know this kid, she'll like her." 

Garnet smiled. "I hope so."

"Well, we can all stay together, I guess. I think the three of us would make a great team to foster a kid. Just don't forget Steven, he has to adjust to this too, even though he's gonna be excited to have a new playmate." Pearl thought.

 "Yeah, he is... Maybe he can teach her a thing or two." Garnet said.

"Exactly, that would be nice. Oh, man, look at us, planning out another kid's life already even though we don't know who the heck she is whatsoever. It's kinda ridiculous, is it not?"

Garnet smiled. "It is,"

Pearl paused, with a pensive look on her face. "Just promise me that... we'll take this all in stride. No matter how bad this kid turns out to be, we'll be there for her, alright?"

Garnet nodded, "Right."

"Now all that's left is time... A week isn't a long time." Pearl said, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"And then when the decision's made, we'll have to make room for her in Steven's room... We're moving in a year though," Garnet point out.

"Oh boy, that'll be the real test of patience. Moving is always such a hassle, especially if there's a kid involved." She said, laughing a little. "Man, we'll be real busy, huh?"

Garnet smiled. "Definitely. As if we weren't already busy."

Pearl laughed. "Yeah, well, we have to manage somehow. As usual." She sighed, "I wonder what she'll be like?" She said softly.

Garnet hummed. "I wonder... It's cool she has a gem based name. She'd fit right in."

"I know. It's so pretty, and exotic." She said, smiling. "When she shows up, she'll really have our attention for sure. And Steven's."

Garnet nodded. "This will take a lot of patience."

"Garnet, can you be patient?" Pearl asked, with a devilish smirk.

Garnet chuckled. "I'm more patient than you,"

"Oh, really?" Pearl chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "I'd like to see you try and stay calm if this new kid turns out to be a holy terror. Which she probably will."

"Oh, come on, I'm way more calm than you." Garnet smirked.

"Oh, really?" Pearl said, with a gleam in her eye. "Fine, you show me just how calm you can be if she turns out to be the spawn of satan."

Garnet laughed. "We'll just let Amethyst and Steven deal with her."

Pearl scoffed with a smile. "Typical... you're just afraid that you'll have to do the real work if this kid turns out to be an absolute monster!"

Garnet giggled. "Well, we'll just have to wait and see."

"Well let's just hope this kid is easy to handle. But you and I know how these things always go, do we?" She chuckled.

Garnet smiled. "Yes, we do... Hey, do you think we still have that old bed of Amethysts? The one with the drawers on the bottom?" She asked.

"Yeah, I think so? Why?" Pearls eyes widened, understanding what Garnet was talking about. "Oh... Yeah, I think we still do. It's probably still down in the basement somewhere." She chuckled, as a smile crossed her face.

"Gosh, she needs a dresser, too..." Garnet said.

"Well, if she is like Amethyst... I can see why you want that dresser, she's a real messy girl." Pearl laughed. "You know, I wouldn't be too surprised if this kid turned out worse than Amethyst."

"With Amethyst, she definitely will. She'll end up making her not so sensitive, but Steven will soften her up." Garnet smiled.

She sighed, rolling her eyes. "Yeah... but you know what's so great about Steven? No matter how bad this Peridot is, Steven will definitely love her just the same. No matter what. And he'll be the one to tame whatever monster she is."

Garnet laughed, "Definitely."

"Yeah... he's just so full of love, you know? I wonder how many more days we have to wait..." Pearl wondered.

"It'll be a while. A week just to decide, and then to prepare..." Garnet thought.

"Oh, that's true. Gosh, we'll probably be looking after this kid for a while... if we decide to take her in, that is. I hope we do though. She needs someone to take care of her." Pearl said.

Garnet smiled. "I'm so bad at turning things like that down."

"Same. I know there's a high chance of this Peridot kid turning out bad, but... she is a kid. She needs all the help she can get. If we turn her away after this one week, who knows what might happen to her. She can turn out worse, or she can be good. We'll see soon enough." Pearl point out.

"We have to be patient with her, also. Give her some time to... heal." Garnet said.

Suddenly, Pearls eyes light up. "Oh, my stars! What if she has trauma!? She's gonna need so much work!"

"Are you really just now thinking about that?" Garnet asked with an amused smile.

"Yes I am actually, and now I'm panicking about it! What will we do with a traumatized kid!? Who knows what kind of past she had! And here I am, being all impatient! Oh, we are in for some serious responsibility if we agree to foster her." Pearl said.

"Yep," Garnet nodded. "We'll be more responsible than her parents, though."

"Oh, you know it. I just hope that Steven and Amethyst will be able to help her heal from the trauma. Steven is good at stuff like this, after all." 

Garnet nodded. "Heck, he's better than me and he's 5." She said.

"Yeah, he's really something special. He knows almost everything about how emotions work. He'll definitely help her heal." She sighed, rubbing her forehead.  "And we can too."

Garnet nodded. "Steven really is just like Rose." She looked over to where he was playing. "I can see her in him all the time." She smiled.

"Oh, I know, they're too similar. The more time he spends in our care, the more he'll become like Rose, I can feel it. I guess... I'll really get to know Rose better through Steven?" She chuckled sadly. "I miss her so much... I still can't believe she's gone."

Garnet nodded
"Me nether."

"When do you think this Peridot kid is going to be ready for us to meet, anyways?" She asked, glancing over to Steven. "I feel like we're not doing good with patience. I'm nervous."

"We'll try our best... but we have some things to work on." Garnet said.

"Yeah. But who knows? If this Peridot kid is a little monster, Steven will make her an angel by the time the week's up." Pearl chuckled. "He'll win her over, no matter what."

Garnet nodded. "Yeah. We'll let him work his magic." She smiled.

Pearl leaned back in her chair, with a smile. "I can't wait to see how this plays out, and how Steven will react when he sees her. It's going to be so precious."

Garnet grinned. "Aww... I hope they get along after a while." 

"Of course, they're gonna get along. They'll be best friends. I guarantee it. Wait and see, he's so cute he'll steal just anyone's heart!" Pearl grinned, tapping her hands together.

Garnet laughed.

"He's gonna be so nice to her... and then Amethyst will fall for her just like he does..." She giggled, rubbing the bridge of her nose again. "I wonder how long this new kid will stay?"

"They never said. We'll probably learn more when we can meet her." Garnet said.

"Yeah, I guess. Wait and see. I bet the two kids will become fast friends. You know what else I bet?"

"What?" Garnet smiled.

"I bet she's a little bit like Amethyst with a hint of Steven's adorable charm! Gosh, what will we do if they become really good friends and she'll end up staying with us permanently?" She looked at Garnet with a mischievous smirk.

Garnet grinned. "Slow down. They'll give her mother a chance to change, and then if she does, the kid will decide what to do. Though, I doubt she will." She said.

"That's true... I don't think that she's gonna go back to her mother though. This kid needs guidance more than she needs shelter. That's just my opinion though." Pearl folded her hands in her lap. "If she decides to stay with us, do you really think we'll be able to take care of her? I mean, what if she turns out to be some sort of wild animal?"

Garnet smiled. "Then we'd have two wild animals."

"I suppose we would then..." Pearl laughed, rubbing her forehead. "Garnet, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Garnet blinked, tilting her head. "... No...?"

"What if it takes a while for her to adapt? To adjust to the changes, it's gonna take some time. We'll all have to be super patient with her. She's a tough one, and we might not all get along at first." Pearl sighed, and looked up at the ceiling. "What if she tries to run away? Or something?"

"We won't let that happen," Garnet said quickly.

"But... we don't know what might upset her. How do you know what triggers her? We all know Steven doesn't know when to stop, Amethyst is always getting too close to people, and what about me...?" Pearl groaned softly, clutching her stomach and putting her hand to her forehead. "Amethyst and I have this tendency to overshare some information... I can already imagine a big mess waiting to happen. I can see it."

"We'll only know as time comes. We all have a thing or two we have to learn." Garnet said. "And she'll be the one to teach us."

Pearl sighed, nodding and resting her chin in her hands. "Yeah, you're right. You're always right. I hope I can be patient with her." She chuckled. "You know, I might as well try not to think about this one too much. We'll get through this, even if it gets a little wild."

Garnet smiled. "Yeah... What do we need to do to prepare? I haven't done this in so long..."

Pearl paused, thinking hard about what the kid could need. "Maybe... we should try to get her some new clothes? I'm pretty sure they won't let her wear her uniform there. We definitely should get her bedsheets and some comfy pillows..." She took a moment to think. "And if she is a wild one, we should try to make sure that our house is pretty child-proof, so nothing she could get hurt with while she's inside." She chuckled, rubbing the bridge of her nose again. "I think that's a good start."

Garnet nodded. "That's perfect." She said with a smile.

She smiled. "Yeah. We don't want her to be upset with anything. I feel like she'll be the type to get easily upset though, especially if she ends up being anything like Amethyst. I hope she's a little less wild... I might as well go look around the internet for some comfy bedsheets now. You know, try to find out how she'll sleep best. Do you wanna come with me?"

Garnet smiled. "Sure. We've got to pick Amethyst up from school here in a while though," Garnet pointed out, looking to the clock.

Pearl glanced up at the clock on the wall, and she got up and stretched her back. "Oh, is it that late already? Oh, right. We have to pick Amethyst up soon. She's probably waiting for us now." She sighed. "Well, that will be another thing... I wonder how this little Peridot kid will play out with Amethyst. I have my feelings, and she has hers... I wonder how the two of them can bond together. You know how Amethyst... gets in her own... world sometimes."

Garnet nodded. "Just don't worry about it. What happens, happens." Garnet said. Steven rushed over, holding his car up. It had a bandaid on its windows.

Pearl looked over at Steven holding his car and chuckled. "Steven..." She groaned and rubbed her forehead as if she could feel a headache coming along already. "What did you do to the car, Steven??"

"Boo boo!" Steven said, pointing to the bandaid. Garnet laughed.

Pearl sighed with a little laugh, folding her hands in front of her body and tapping her feet.* "Steven... you always have to make things more difficult for me..." She chuckled. Steven had a wide, cute smile on his face. "Hey, we should hurry. Amethyst is probably waiting for us."

Steven put his toy car down. "Sissy?" He asked.

"Hey, Steven! Yes! Let's go get Amethyst, alright?" She crouched down to his level, looking into his eyes. "Just like we said we would, right? We are going to get her?"

He clapped. "Yay!"

"Good! Let's go see her!" She held her hand out, and Steven grasped it tightly. "Come on now, let's not keep her waiting, she might get bored and start fighting with someone." She looked up and chuckled. "We can't let that happen!"

"Uh oh! Is she gonna get in trouble?" Steven asked. Garnet laughed, ruffling his hair.

"That's the thing," Pearl said, chuckling. "We have to make sure she doesn't get bored so that she won't get into trouble!" She stood up and began to walk towards the door, with Steven holding onto her hand with both his hands. "We're gonna be good parents. I bet Steven will play with her or sing one of his songs for her, and she'll have a friend to talk to. That will help a lot."

"Friend?" Steven asked.

Garnet grinned. "Yes, Steven. A friend."

"That's right! A brand new friend! Don't you think she's gonna be happy?" She looked down at Steven and smiled. "I know you'll be a good friend for her, Steven."

"Ame'test is not new friend though, she my sissy," Steven said, not getting that Pearl was talking about fostering a new kid.

"Oh yes, of course! My bad, Amethyst isn't new. She's very, very old." Pearl giggled. "I'm talking about someone new, someone little! Someone your age." Steven grinned as he reached for the doorknob.

"Me age?" Steven asked, putting a hand on his chest.

"Yeah, exactly!" Pearl laughed. "She's not much older than you are, and that's what's so wonderful!" Pearl opened the door with a smile on her face. "Let's go get her now, and if we're lucky, she'll already be waiting for us there."

"Ame'test 15! New kid is little?" Steven asked, looking excited.

"Yes, that's right. Just like you. Well, maybe not exactly like you." Pearl chuckled, ruffling Steven's hair. "I have a feeling you two are gonna get along very well."

"And new kid's not Ame'test?" Steven asked again, genuinely confused. Garnet chuckled.

"No, Steven, this is a different kid, not Amethyst. You'll meet her in a couple days, but for now, we're going to go pick up Amethyst from school." Garnet said.

"Yeah, you'll meet her soon enough. But we have to hurry." Pearl looked into Steven's eyes. "So, we're gonna go see Amethyst at her school, okay? You ready to go?" Steven nodded vigorously, and held on tighter to Pearl's hand.

"O'tay." Steven nodded. Garnet grinned, ruffling Stevens curly hair.

Steven put a hand on his head, looking up to glare at Garnet. He whined.

"Oh, did I pull your curls? I'm sorry," Garnet said, hiding a smile.

Pearl couldn't help but grin. "Alright, we're all set. Come on now, Steven!" She looked around, and put her hands on Steven's shoulders. "Let's go now, let's head to Amethyst's school. We don't want to keep her waiting, what will she do if she has to wait for more than a minute?" She chuckled, ruffling Steven's hair gently.

Steven hopped in the car, crawling to the middle seat where his carseat was. Garnet reached over, buckling him in.

"Yay!" Steven cheered, excited to see Amethyst after her being at school for so long.

Pearl looked at Steven's beaming face and chuckled. "You really missed her, right Steven?" 

Steven nodded and was kicking his feet, patiently waiting for Garnet and Pearl to get into the car so that they could go pick up Amethyst. 

Chapter Text

Garnet and Pearl were in their room, thinking of how to tell Amethyst they were fostering another child. Amethyst was in the kitchen, making a bunch of noise with whatever she was using to make whatever it was that she was making. Steven was jabbering on about something, sitting in the kitchen floor, while Amethyst was just nodding.

Pearl looked to the kitchen as the sounds of pots and pans clanking together came from it. She could hear Steven talking excitedly in the kitchen, and she looked to Garnet in the room, trying to come up with a way to tell Amethyst about the situation. She didn't want to upset her anymore than she already was.

"What do you think would be the best way to tell Amethyst that she has to share the house with another kid? We don't want to make her angry." Pearl asked. They had to break the news to her somehow.

"We will." Garnet chuckled. "She's moody... She's going to be mad ether way. We have to break it to her gently."

Pearl rolled her eyes and huffed. "Oh boy, well... I know she's gonna be upset, but she has to understand. I'm sure it's gonna be a shock for her, but we'll just have to talk this out, and tell her about it now. I don't want the new kid to come here and Amethyst be harsh to her."

"Her and Amethyst would only be, like 7 years apart." Garnet said. "Hopefully, she won't be that hard to break the news to. She's going to throw a fit, though, I know it."

Pearl laughed slightly. "Yeah, hopefully she'll be reasonable, but we can't help it. We're all excited to meet the new kid. I do not think we can wait one more minute to tell her... it would be better for us to just tell her now. She's gonna be moody for a while though..." She sighed again and looked to the door leading to the kitchen. "Ready to tell her now? Let's try not to get upset with each other, and try to be calm when she starts getting emotional, okay?"

Garnet nodded. "Right..."

"Alright." Pearl took a deep breath and took a moment to clear her throat. "Hey Amethyst, could you please come here for a minute? We need to talk to you about something important."

Amethyst dropped her pan, coming up to them. "What?" The fifteen year old sighed, leaning against the wall. Her lavender hair was in two braids, her bangs down.

Pearl sighed and took control of the conversation. "Listen, me and Garnet want you to listen to us before you say anything. We know things have been pretty weird for you lately, but that's not what we're here to talk about. What we wanted to tell you is that you'll be sharing the house with someone else. Someone new."

Amethysts eyes were wide. "Wha-huh?"

"Just wait, please. Let us speak. You've been through a lot lately, and I know how you're feeling. The good thing is, this doesn't mean you will be alone anymore. You have someone else who's going to be your roommate. She's a bit older than Steven." Pearl said calmly.

Amethyst gasped, looking at them in disbelief. She put her hand to her mouth and held out her breath. "You're not serious," she whispered.

"Unfortunately we are," Garnet said, her voice gentle and motherly. "I know what we're telling you right now is pretty sudden, but we really think you need to hear what we have to say."

"Then, say it!" She sighed. "I better not have to share my stuff with... it!"

Pearl tried to stay calm and be reasonable with Amethyst, who was clearly angry and trying to understand the situation. "Amethyst, we know you're probably very confused right now, and things like this aren't going to be easy to get used to. But you're never gonna grow if you don't step out of your comfort zone. Besides, the kid has nowhere else to go. And you're probably going to end up liking her."

"I highly doubt that! I'm not going to like some kid who just... barged into our house unexpectedly, rent free!" Amethyst snapped.

Pearl huffed with frustration. "Amethyst, you can't just dismiss someone just cause you don't know who they are yet. You have to give them a chance, and who knows? You might actually like them if you get to know her better. Just...try to be reasonable with this situation."

"How?! We already have Steven, do we really need another?!" Amethyst asked exasperatedly.

"Amethyst! Come on now. I know you're angry right now and you don't want anyone else taking your place, but you and Steven will always be our family! That's not going to change! Just... just stay calm. That's all you have to do for now." Pearl said desperately.

Amethyst groaned, crossing her arms. "Fine. There isn't nothing I can do about it, anyways." She growled.

"Look, all she needs is a roof over her head for now. It's just temporarily until we can get her back on her feet. So even if you hate her, just please, be calm with this. It doesn't have to be a huge deal." Pearl let out a sigh. "This is for Steven, after all... We just want him to have a playmate."

"You can keep thinking that way." Amethyst sighed.

"Now Amethyst, remember...be patient. We've been through a lot worse." She glanced over at Garnet, with a look on her face that just said, "did I convince her?" to see if she was doing okay with the conversation.

Garnet just shrugged.

"What will Steven think about it, though? Where will she sleep?!" Amethyst asked. "Until we move, we won't have any room!"

"Well we'll probably make her sleep in Steven's room for the time being, it's not like he'll mind. I don't think she'll really cause that much of a mess, she's probably very obedient and we'll help her adjust to everything. I think Steven would be fine with it, right?" Pearl looked down at Steven who was still playing in the kitchen.

Amethyst glanced at him. "I hope. But don't blame me if I snap." She shrugged.

Pearl sighed, frustrated and trying her best to be reasonable with Amethyst. "Amethyst, come on. I really think you should be more open-minded about the situation and not be so quick to dismiss the kid. It's not like she can go back home. We have to think about Steven more than ever now, he'll be happier with a friend to play with."

Amethyst was quiet. "He has his friends from daycare, or preschool, whatever..."

Pearl sighed once again, this time more frustrated. "I know you're mad, but think of it like this. Even if she's annoying at times, she will be there for you if you ever need her. You can tell her about anything. We all know you get very moody sometimes so this will be great for you. You'll get used to her eventually, I promise. Steven gets what he wants."

"I'm not moody!" Amethyst snapped.

Pearl chuckled and ruffled Amethyst's hair. "Yeah, yeah. Keep yourself in denial. You are such a grump, you know? You'll lighten up after you get to know the kid. Let's just hope she's not as moody as you."

Amethyst groaned. Garnet chuckled.

Pearl smiled, looking over at Garnet. "Don't laugh Garnet." She laughed. "I know this is gonna be a big deal for you and Amethyst too, and trust me...we've all been through a lot worse than this. Let's try to stay calm and not make a big fuss about this."

"We'll just go slow. You won't even need to talk to her at times. I'm sure she'll be quiet at first. But, you will have to get use to it." Garnet said.

"Exactly. It would be great to give the kid some space to get used to everything. We also have no idea how old this kid is or what she likes to do, so just bear with it, okay Amethyst? I do hope she doesn't mess with your stuff and beg for makeovers, though." She chuckled again, ruffling her hair gently.

Amethyst squeaked. "Don't touch my hair!" She snapped, pushing her hair back down.

Pearl held her hands up with a big smile on her face, chuckling. She got the point, so she just backed away. "Alright, alright. I won't touch your hair." She sighed and let out a big breath. "Let's just hope this all goes well. Who knows? You might even end up really loving her."

"I doubt it..." Amethyst huffed.

Pearl sighed. "Hey Amethyst, I know it's rough for you. I get that you don't want anyone else to take your place or whatever but, this is for Steven's benefit. Please just at least try to be happy for him. I'm sure he'll be so happy knowing that he has a new friend to play with. Just be patient with all this and let us all get to know the kid, okay? It'll be fine." 

"Fine..." Amethyst narrowed her eyes.

Garnet nodded. "Good girl."

Amethyst rolled her eyes, groaning in annoyance as she turned away. She looked like she was ready to say so much more, but decided to keep her mouth shut. She huffed again, and sighed deeply, crossing her arms. "Whatever. I'm going to my room. See you both later." She shut her bedroom door behind her.

Garnet paused. "Well..." She turned to Pearl.

"She'll be fine." Pearl reassured. "It's just gonna take her a while to get used to it. We all know how she is when it comes to things like this. She'll eventually learn to enjoy sharing the house with someone else."

Garnet nodded. "I'm sure she will."

Pearl let out a sign of relief. It was going to take a lot of convincing to get Amethyst to cooperate but she's hoping it could work. "Well...we should get started on redecorating Steven's room now. We have to make some space to make this work."

"Yeah. He's got a lot of stuff, we might have to take some things out," Garnet said.

"Yeah, that's for sure. We might have to change up some things, too. He's going to be really excited once he finds out he'll be having a roommate. I can't wait to see his face." Pearl chuckled happily, trying to stay positive for the situation.

Garnet smiled. "We'd better get to work, we have a lot to do."

Pearl let out a sigh, knowing she was definitely telling the truth. "Yep. If we work hard and manage to get everything done in the next few days, the kid will be arriving here soon and we'll have a plan on what's going to happen. I'm pretty confident about this."

Garnet grinned. "Let's get down to business, then."

Chapter Text

Garnet and Pearl were in Stevens room. Toy cars were scattered everywhere, his rug was out of place, he had a bunch of his stuffed animals on his bed instead of in their net in the corner of the room, books were out of place, some sitting on his nightstand, clothes were hanging out of his dresser, the toys in his toy organizers storage bins was unorganized, his toy box was empty, and there was clothes and pajamas on the floor.

"Oh, my stars..." Garnet breathed. It looked as if it got messier overnight, which it most likely did.

"Well..." Pearl groaned quietly, rubbing her temples. "That's just great." She put her hands on her hips, taking a look around at the complete mess of the room. "This is gonna take us a while."

Garnet mentally braced herself for both Pearl having a breakdown because of all the unorganized stuff, and whatever else they might find in the five year olds room. She stepped in, pushing some toys aside with her foot.

Pearl saw how bad the state of the room was and let out a sigh. "Alright, don't worry, we'll get started on this. Just try to be patient with me..." She kneeled down, and started picking up toys, organizing and putting them in specific areas of the room where they would be easy to access later on. "Okay... one thing at a time... One. Thing. At. A. Time." 

Garnet started off sorting the big toys from the small, throwing them into the toy box.

Pearl began to organize Stevens toy shelves, organizing the toys with ease. She was trying to keep herself calm and composed. "Aah! Why on earth is this all so messy?!" She let out a long sigh, rubbing her head and holding her chin. "How am I suppose to organize all this?" She muttered angrily.

"Where should his baby dolls go?" Garnet asked. Steven loved baby dolls ever since he was a baby. He would cradle them, and pretend to feed him. He liked Baby Alives the most. Amethyst had also gave him all of her old baby dolls. Steven had a bunch of accessories for them, too, in which Garnet emptied out a bin that went to his organizer for the accessories to go in. He had bottles, bibs, rattles, clothes for them...

"Oh, I think the baby dolls should go over here!" Pearl looked at Garnet and pointed to where she thought the baby dolls should go. "Yeah, that would be best. Oh god..." When she realized how many accessories and dolls Steven really had, she just started to laugh nervously. "What have we gotten ourselves into?" She chuckled awkwardly. "How on earth did he get so... so many?" She asked, her eyes wide as she observed how much more there was to be sorted.

Garnet picked up one with a purple bracelet, that had a pink star on it which was the button to make it say things. This one was a newer one he got.

"They're pacifiers..." Garnet threw five pacifiers into the bin, "Shoes... Oh, look, I found two unused diapers. That's a miracle." She said, finding two Baby Alive diapers that weren't used.

"Steven really has a lot of things that he likes to collect doesn't he?" Pearl chuckled, amused at some of the items Steven had. She started packing some dresses and girl clothes for his dolls in his bin. His poor baby boy dolls barely had any clothes. "This is really a big job, isn't it?" She asked Garnet, slightly annoyed, but trying to keep cool about the situation.

"Uh oh. Have you seen her room lately? It's unsettling knowing how long she goes without cleaning." Garnet shuttered. She tossed an unopened Baby Alive food packet into the bin. It was rare he had food packets, because he used them all the second they'd buy a new pack of doll food for him.

"Oh dear..." Pearl groaned, a little annoyed at Amethyst. "You have got to be kidding me. I can only fathom what the state of that room is. I can imagine it's a total mess. I'll have to clean that up too, right after Stevens room. Amethyst does have a tendency to be lazy, doesn't she?" She snickered, amused at the situation. Steven always cleaned and organized his room, no matter what. The other two should also do what he does. "It sounds like it's going to be a little difficult for me to organize her room but we'll manage."

"It's like a regular teenage girls room, except ten times worse." Garnet chuckled. She found a matching set of a Baby Alive spoon and bowl. She put it in the baby doll accessories bin.

"I don't even want to know how bad it is." Pearl chuckled, slightly annoyed again. "I'll try my best to clean up everything. Amethyst should be able to help out too. When she wants to, and is in the mood." She shook her head, and tossed Stevens last doll in the bin. "At least Stevens room will look better and neater. It's not going to be easy to deal with Amethyst afterwards, but we'll figure it out." She sighed, realizing how much work all of this really was.

"Oh, yuck..." Garnet shivered as she found an old juice box, putting it in the trash.

Pearl cringed, looking at the juice box in the trash, disgusted. "Goodness. I bet the amount of trash in her room is unbearable..." She muttered. "This is a huge mess, and I have to clean all of it, don't I? Oh god..." She just shook her head, putting Stevens bin back on the shelf. "I don't even think I'm able to deal with Amethyst sometimes. She can be very stubborn and difficult."

Garnet huffed, emptying a bin into another bin, so that she could have a bin to put all his toy cars in. 

Pearl sighed deeply, wiping the sweat of her forehead. Now she was feeling the pain of doing so much sorting and organizing. She felt overwhelmed. "Oh, for the sake of your last gem based name history... This is going to take forever." She rolled her eyes, and started picking up clothes off the floor into a basket. "This kid has so much clothes in his room." She sighed again, feeling the stress of everything she had to do. 

Garnet was throwing cars into the bin, putting all of the trains to the side.

"Yeah..." She was still putting them into the bin.

Pearl had to laugh to herself, seeing how many cars there were. "There's a lot of cars...how many years has Steven been collecting all these?" She chuckled, shaking her head. "He really, really likes cars, doesn't he?"

"That, and these squishy things... half of them have bite marks in it..." Garnet said, holding up a foam squishy with a bite mark in it.

"You're kidding, right? What, does the kid like foam squishy things but also get hungry a lot so he bites them?" Pearl snickered, amused at how strange Steven's preferences were. "He has a lot of different tastes. I bet Amethyst hoards a lot of things, too...what do you think she hoards?"

"Oh, don't even get my started on that..." Garnet picked up another squishy with a bite mark in it. "Steven has to stop biting these things. Amethyst gets so mad when he does," Garnet chuckled. "I still don't understand why every small child has the urge to bite these things." She sighed.

Pearl laughed, noticing how many more different variations of squishy things there were. "These aren't even toys, they're meant as stress relief. Steven sure is weird." She paused, staring at Garnet's squishies again. "Oh god. How bad is it, with Amethyst? Is her room that bad?"

"Last I checked, yes." Garnet said.

Pearl groaned quietly, she had a feeling she'd dread this the most. Pearl was not looking forward to cleaning Amethysts room after Stevens. "Oh...I'm definitely dreading when I have to clean up Amethysts room...I'm scared to imagine the things I'll see..."

"We need to prepare mental scrub brushes." Garnet grinned.

Pearl laughed, holding her sides. "You are right with that. I can barely imagine cleaning her room...let alone seeing the things in it! Hopefully, I'll be able to handle it." She shuddered at the thought, thinking about the things Amethyst might be keeping in her room. She knew her personality well, and it was...unique. To say the least.

"Alright, then. That's done." Garnet said, standing up. She looked over the room. "What next?"

Pearl stood up, wiping her hands. "Now, we move on to organizing Stevens clothes, and the same can be said about Amethyst too. I'm glad we managed to finish the toys part in Stevens room." She stretched, feeling tired for a second. "What a long and tiring journey that was. I'm so happy it's finally finished. I can rest for a second."

"I can sweep the room real quick before we move onto Amethysts room if you want," Garnet said. 

Pearl nodded. "Oh, that would be great. Thank you very much!" She chuckled and walked over to Stevens bed, putting some pillows on his bed and putting some of the blankets back where they belong. "Thank goodness...this is looking good so far."

Garnet grabbed the broom. "Amethysts room is going to be a headache to clean," She sighed.

"Oh...Amethysts room is always a headache to clean. I'm not looking forward to that at all..." Pearl stood back up, looking at what else they needed to put away and organize. She picked up Stevens socks and underwear. "I hope I don't find any disgusting surprises in here..."

Garnet chuckled. "We're almost done,"

 Pearl looked back over at Garnet, sighing again but grinning a little. "Thank God... I can barely take cleaning up his room, I'm already starting to get nervous about cleaning Amethysts room. Let's just hope that it might...not be so bad?" She sighed, shaking her head and taking a good look at Stevens room. "Oh, we've done so much and it looks great."

Garnet nodded. "Egh... Ants. We'll have to use Windex on them later," she said, weeping up ants.

Pearl nodded again. "Thank you so much, really. You've helped me a lot! I don't think I would have been able to do this without you." She sighed, stretching her arms out a little. "I only hope i can clean Amethysts room just as well. Oh, I also hope I don't find anything disgusting in there...that would be horrifying if I did." Garnet nodded. "Yeah. I'll clean up the rest," she said.

Garnet smiled. "You probably will, knowing Amethyst. You should probably go to her room, now. She won't be too pleased to have to clean her room, but it has to happen." She said.

Pearl sighed, she was a little anxious about cleaning Amethysts room in the mess, but she would somehow pull her way through. "I suppose you're right. I'll clean up Amethysts room to the best of my abilities." She nodded again, putting Stevens underwear into his wardrobe, and folding his socks and putting them away. "I'll try my best to clean up her room. I just hope I'm not scarred afterwards."

Garnet nodded. "You go do that... The earlier we do it, the better. It's already 7:12, we'll probably get done late at night."

Pearl opened the door to Amethysts room, sighing deeply. "Oh...oh no." She gasped, stepping back in horror, looking around the room. She saw things in the room, and had to keep herself from being disgusted. "Amethyst...I-I know you love hoarding things, but this is just too much..." She shuddered, she couldn't believe just how messy Amethysts room was. "I need to clean this up...just how does she even live like this?"

"KNOCK!" Amethyst snapped.

Garnet, hearing Amethyst snap, chuckled. This was going to be a very long night.

Chapter Text

Pearl jumped a little, startled at the sudden shout. She walked into the room cautiously, seeing piles of junk all over the floor. There were clothes, food wrappers, shoes, and just random objects. Trash was all over the place and there were empty chip packets everywhere. There was dust in the corners. "Oh my..."

"My room don't need cleaning!" Amethyst said, getting off her bed.

Pearl stepped further into the room, looking around, sighing. "A-Amethyst, your room really needs a thorough cleaning. Just look at it! There's junk piled up everywhere! It's a real giant mess! I-I can't even imagine how long you've let this room get like this." She shuddered, amazed at how many candy wrappers she saw.

"Mooom! I like it like this! I know where everything is," Amethyst whined.

Pearl groaned quietly as Amethyst spoke, she couldn't believe how she could like a room like this. "A-Amethyst, this...this..." She tried to think of words. "This room is just so filthy and disgusting, how do you even live like this? There's junk and sticky candy all over the place!" She looked at her, feeling tired and annoyed. "You don't even try to clean up after yourself, Amethyst! I just can't fathom what is wrong with your room!"

"There is nothing wrong with my room!"

Pearl sighed again, she couldn't handle Amethyst right now. "Amethyst, your room is literally full of junk! I can't even step inside without feeling grossed out!"

She paused, looking at Amethyst. "And why do you have to eat that junk food? Why couldn't you just leave it in the kitchen, and not let it get all sticky and gross all over the place? It's gross!"

She then just stopped, having to stop herself from yelling at Amethyst. "Your room is just a disgusting mess!"

Amethyst looked around, shrugging. It looked fine to her.

Pearl was getting so annoyed with Amethyst. "Look at this!" She said, pointing at the trash and sticky candy. "A-Are you kidding me? This really is so gross! And why do you even have so much clothes? You can't even fit them in your wardrobe anymore and you still don't let go of them? They're literally everywhere! It's a huge mess, Amethyst!"

Amethyst looked around, rubbing her eyes. She knew that she had no other choice, but to clean. She figured she'd better just start now, so she wouldn't have to do it on the weekend. "Fine. But you're helping!"

Pearl sighed, not wanting to clean but just wanting Amethysts room to be clean. "You know what, sure. I will most definitely help...and it's definitely going to be a while before this whole room is clean. God, I can't even walk without stepping on something sticky."

Amethyst groaned. "I'll get the trash bags..." She said, walking out of the room.

Pearl sighed, trying not to be angry with Amethyst. "Yeah... I'm not even going to question why you would just leave the trash everywhere. This is going to be very hard work, and a huge pain in the butt." She said, picking up the huge messes that were everywhere in the room. "I can't believe this room is actually this filthy, it's disgusting."

Amethyst soon returned with the trash bags, throwing trash in the corner of the room into it.

Pearl was picking up the sticky candy wrappers off the floor. "I think that's the biggest part of cleaning this room. A lot of this sticky candy crap is stuck on the floor." She said, sighing and continuing to pick them off the floor. "Amethyst, why do you even leave stuff like this laying around? It's so disgusting!" She said, picking up a few more wrappers.

"I don't wann-AHHH!" Amethyst broke into a scream hopping back.

Amethyst ran to the other side of the room, screaming. Beside the thing she was picking up, was a big wolf spider.

Pearl glanced back at what Amethyst was afraid of. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was a spider. And a huge one. "Is it a spider?" She asked, her mind going blank. She was also starting to become scared of it. She really hated spiders.

"What else would it be?? A jeepers creepers??!!" Amethyst yelled. Steven came running in.

The spider started to move, it moved its huge legs. It looked like it was going after Amethyst. Pearl was frozen in shock and horror, looking at the spider creeping up closer to Amethyst. "It's moving... The thing's moving!"

Steven ran in from where he was helping Garnet clean his room. "Oh...What's going on?" Steven asked, startled by their sudden yelling.

"GET AWAY FROM ME YOU LITTLE SHH...SLINKER!" Amethyst screamed, stopping herself from cussing, hopping out of the way. She didn't know why she said that. She just needed something to sensor herself with in front of Pearl.

Pearl looked back to where the spider was crawling. It was slowly and silently moving towards Steven, it was moving closer. Steven was too close for her comfort, the spider could easily bite him. Pearl immediately rushed towards Steven, trying to push him away. "We have to get you away from the spider! You can't be around that thing!" She said, pushing Steven away from the spider and closer to Amethyst.

Amethyst was panicking. "THAT THING WAS IN MY ROOM THIS WHOLE TIME?!"

At all the panicking, Steven started to tear up. He cried, clinging onto Amethysts pants.

Pearl nodded, her eyes wide in fear. "Yes, yes it was...it was hiding underneath your bed the whole time...." Pearl shuddered, feeling really horrified. "I don't know how you can live with it...."

The spider was slowly moving closer towards them, getting closer. "We have to get away, now! Move!" She yelled, moving towards the door, pushing Amethyst and Steven along with her. "It's coming closer!" She yelled.

Pearl looked over at Steven. Poor guy! He was crying out of fear, not knowing how to handle the spider situation. She felt terrible that he was crying and decided to help him stop being scared.* "Steven, Steven listen!" She said, trying to calm him down.

"There is no need to cry! We can get rid of that spider.... I'm here, so you don't have to be scared." She said, still trying to keep him calm.

"DON'T LET IT BITE YOU STEVEN!!!" Amethyst yelled out, trying to run out of her room. Garnet pushed them her out of the way before she could do so, spraying it with Raid, unamused.

Pearl watched Amethyst, laughing at the fact that she was screaming about the spider. Garnet sprayed the spider with bug spray, the spider seemed to be slowing down. It was still moving, just a lot slower. Pearl looked in awe, amazed at how Garnet was just so calm about the situation.

Pearl looked over at Steven, he was still afraid, but she managed to calm him down a bit. She gave him a hug and a smile. "It's okay Steven.... It can't hurt you now...." She said lovingly.

The spider crumpled up, its legs twitching. Garnet shook up the Raid, spraying it again.

"It's dead." Garnet said, putting the lid back onto the Raid. She picked up a candy wrapper off of the floor, picking the spider up by its leg, throwing it into the trash bag. She chucked the Raid into Amethysts hands.

"You might need that." She said. Amethyst had a shocked expression on her face.

Steven was still trembling, watching in fright. Garnet dust off her hands, before going to continue moping Stevens floor. Steven followed her wordlessly, not wanting to be in the room anymore.

Amethyst wordlessly went back to cleaning, very cautiously picking things up. A wrapper touched her leg, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. She didn't even want to sleep in her room anymore after the spider was discovered. It had probably been living in there as long as she has. And under her bed? She wanted to throw the whole house away.

Pearl looked over at Amethyst, she was really horrified of the spider but she still had to clean the room. And now being on edge about things touching them, it would be even harder. She wondered how she was going to get through this cleaning.

Amethyst was picking up some things, still afraid. She shuttered just thinking about the spider.

"I'm going to be paranoid now," she said. She didn't even want to sleep in her room anymore after the spider was discovered. It had probably been living in there as long as she has.

Pearl looked over at Amethyst, seeing how traumatized she was at the idea of the spider being in the room the whole time. While the spider was scary, she seemed to be a little dramatic about the situation. "Alright Amethyst, relax. It's gone now, no need to be paranoid. We need to continue cleaning. I don't want this room to be filthy for any longer."

"Yeah, but there's probably a whole nest in here..." Amethyst muttered, silently groaning as she picked up a soda can.

Pearl looked around the room, seeing all the dirt and litter. The spider was dead yes, but the fact that there was so much trash and litter around the place, made her feel sick.

"Ugh...this is a filthy mess. How do you even live in here?" She asked Amethyst, trying not to get mad. She had a look of disgust and annoyance on her face.

"It's cluttered." Amethyst said, throwing more soda cans into the trash bag where she was cleaning. "Just how I like it."

Pearl's disgust turned to annoyance, she couldn't understand how Amethyst could like clutter.

"That's disgusting, Amethyst. Why do you even enjoy living in this mess? You shouldn't enjoy this." She asked.

"'Cause, it makes me feel all safe when I sleep!" Amethyst said, picking up more soda cans. "If someone comes in when I'm sleeping..." She threw the cans into the trash bag, the cans clinging together, making noise.

Pearl couldn't believe what Amethyst was saying. Her room was supposed to be a safe spot, not a cluttered, messy area full of trash. And what did Amethyst mean by "if someone comes in when I'm sleeping?"

"Amethyst, who is coming in? What are you talking about?" Pearl asked, sounding very confused. She couldn't believe that Amethyst thought of that as a comfortable living space, not at all.

"I dunno... like... A Slinker, or something." Amethyst said, shrugging. Garnet and Pearl had told her when she was a small child and would misbehave, that a Slinker monster would get her. And if she got lost, then the Slinker would come out of the doors to the storage room of stores and take her away. She genuinely believed this until she was eleven.

Pearl laughed, Amethyst's answer surprised her. "Slinkers? They're not real Amethyst! It's just a myth! I thought you knew that." 

She looked at Amethyst, and sighed. She couldn't believe Amethyst really thought someone, or something, was going to attack her in her sleep. "Amethyst, there is nothing going to attack you while you're sleeping. You shouldn't have that concern."

"No, but it's your and Garnets fault for telling me that a Slinker would come get me if I was mean! You could'a just told me that Santa would put me on the naughty list, or something, not traumatize me! I seriously thought Slinkers were a thing until I was like, eleven. And like how that one time when I got lost in Target and was hyperventilating when you guys found me, was because I thought a Slinker would get me, and you had to tell me that Slinkers weren't real!" Amethyst said. 

Pearl laughed. "Do you not think I tried!? The only way to get you to behave was to convince you some Slinker monster would get you!"

Amethyst looked embarrassed. "Listen, I was a very gullible child!"

"Didn't any of your friends told you it wasn't real?!" Pearl asked, calming down.

Amethyst shrugged. "Probably! But it came from you guys, so I thought it actually was real! I could have misbehaved all I wanted if I knew that Slinkers weren't real!"

Pearl couldn't help but think this whole thing was amusing. Amethyst's reaction to this revelation was actually hilarious to her. She couldn't believe that Amethyst took the joke this seriously. But what was funnier was the excuse Amethyst made.

"Oh, so you think it's okay to misbehave now that Slinkers aren't real? Amethyst, you have to know that misbehaving isn't allowed and bad for you too!"

Pearl was trying to be serious now. She didn't want Amethyst to start misbehaving all the time, just because she now knew that the Slinker story wasn't true.

Amethyst lowered her voice. "Yes, and that's also why I tell Steven that the Hash-Slinging Slasher is real! I don't want him to ignore me telling him to not come into my room, although he probably won't anymore now that he just witnessed a spider trying to attack my toes!" She scream-whispered.

Pearl couldn't help but smile at Amethyst. That was definitely a way to get Steven to not come into her room! But, was Amethyst really going to make Steven believe in the same story too?

"But Amethyst...you can't just lie to him like that. What if he gets scared like that too?" Pearl asked, not wanting Steven to be afraid of things that are made up.

Amethyst got a mischievous smile on her face. "So what? I'm never gonna tell him it's not real! Plus, he has literally seen the end of that episode, so he should know!" She shrugged, throwing away more wrappers.

Pearl sighed. "Just, don't freak him out like that for too long, okay?" She said with a warning in her voice. "He's a child, Amethyst. He might actually convince himself that a Hash... slinging... slasher will get him."

"Okay, okay..." Amethyst was throwing trash into the trash bag. "It's fun though."

"A little harmless fun is fine, Amethyst. Just don't make him think the 'Hashing Slasher' can kill him or something." Pearl said, rolling her eyes a little at Amethyst. She continued with helping Amethyst clean her room.

Amethyst paused, thinking back all the way to when she believed in the Slinker. 

"I seriously had nightmares about the Slinker, though."

Chapter Text

Garnet and Pearl was in Stevens room, thinking of how to make this work.

Amethyst was at school, and Steven was at Preschool. Garnet and Pearl took this as an advantage to rearrange some things in Stevens room without any interruptions. 

"Maybe... we can move Stevens bed to the right side, and have the other bed on the left." Garnet said.

Pearl hummed. "Do you think Steven will be mad at all? I mean... it'll be pretty cluttered."

"He can bear. Plus, it'll only be a year or so until they can have their own rooms. And it isn't guaranteed that she'll  be staying here that long." Garnet point out.

"Yeah... or maybe, they can have bunkbeds!" Pearl said excitedly.

"... How much money do we have to spend?" Garnet asked.

Pearl sighed. "Scratch that..." 

"I want to get new things for her though, not spend all our money on a bunkbed." Garnet said, sighing. 

"True... maybe we can get her a desk, those glow in the dark stars, a lava lamp... And it needs to be space themed!" Pearl said.

Garnet nodded. "I think she'd like that. And maybe a desk? They said she liked to paint."

"Oh, yes! And we'd need a dresser, nightstand, a chair for her desk..." Pearl trailed off, thinking. She was looking to the side of the room, imagining what could fit, and what couldn't.

"I think we should leave most of the decorating to her." Garnet said. 

Pearl thought about what Garnet said. "Maybe you're right. Maybe we shouldn't just make decisions on our own, maybe she wants to decorate it herself. We haven't actually asked her... maybe this is all unnecessary worrying. She probably has ideas on how to decorate her room." She sighed. "We probably shouldn't get too ahead of ourselves on this..."

Garnet nodded. "Let's not get ourselves worked up on this. We have more important things to worry about."

Pearl nodded, agreeing with Garnet. They did have bigger things to worry about. 

"Right, yes... it's not like she's moving in tomorrow. We have more time to plan..." She said. "And... we should tell Steven, he probably wants to be involved in this too." Pearl said. They still needed his permission to decorate his room. Yes, it was for Peridot, but it was still his room. He deserved to be involved.

Garnet hummed. "Right. I just wonder what he'll think. I think he just thinks that he's going to have a new friend around." She said. She's sure that Steven would be friends with her, but she wasn't so sure if Peridot would be a friend to Steven.

Pearl thought about Peridot's personality for a moment. "He might think that. But... I'm not too sure if it's the truth. Peridot seems kind of cold." 

She was unsure if Peridot could warm up quickly toward Steven. But she hoped that would be the case, after all, Steven deserved to have new friends who actually appreciated him.

Garnet sighed, rubbing her eyes. "I just hope she'll feel safe. That's the least we can do, is give her a safe space." She said. 

All of this was so overwhelming for both of them. Or, all three of them, in fact.

Peridot was still processing the thought of having a new place to stay. What if it wasn't all as great as she thought it would be? This would make her mental state even worse. But her current home couldn't be any healthier for her.

Pearl could not agree more. It was their job to give Peridot a safe place to stay, especially after all she had been through. Even though it was a tough situation for them to deal with, they at least owed that much to her.

"She really does deserve to feel safe. She's been through so much... This will be good for her." Pearl said, with a faint smile. There was also the slight hope that it would end up being beneficial for Peridot to stay with them.

Garnet nodded. "And what we know is only half of what she's been through. She deserves so much more." She said. It was sad that a kid had to go through that, even if they are 'difficult'. 

Pearl nodded. "I just wish we could help her more than just giving her a place to stay.... I feel so bad for her. It's sad what she's gone through."

She thought about Peridot's situation again, then sighed. "I doubt we'll be able to fix everything for her, but at least she can have a chance to heal."

Garnet nodded.

"What are we going to tell him? He probably hardly knows what a foster is. I don't even know if he truly knows what is going on." She said.

Pearl didn't want to make Steven feel confused or to scare him. But she also didn't want to lie to him about something as important as this. It was tricky to figure out the right thing to say to him that wouldn't confuse him or scare him while also being truthful.

"You're right, it's a tricky situation. He's going to want to understand why Peridot needs to stay with us." Pearl thought for a moment. "But... I think we need to be honest with him..."

"Maybe... we just ask him what he thinks it is. Maybe he doesn't even know that she's going to be staying with us." Garnet said.

Pearl considered this. "That's true. He may already have an understanding of what this is... Or he might not even know that Peridot will be staying with us."

She paused for a moment, then nodded. "It might a good idea to talk to him about what's going on. He needs answers, not confusion or more questions..."

Garnet nodded. "Yeah... or maybe he does know, because Amethyst ranted to a five year old." She smiled.

Pearl chuckled. "I wouldn't even be too surprised if she has done that."

She thought about how she would approach Steven about Peridot staying with them. "Should we just... tell him the truth that Peridot has nowhere else to stay?" She asked, seeking Garnet's thoughts. "Or, maybe we could try to...word it differently to get the point across."

"Yeah. He's not really the kid to not understand things," Garnet point out.

"He's not, no," Pearl agreed. She thought about it for a moment.

"So... should we just tell Steven that Peridot doesn't have anywhere else to stay, and that's she'll be staying with us?" She asked, wanting to confirm this with Garnet for the last time. "Or do you think there's a better way to put this?"

"For a five year old? No." Garnet shrugged. "I don't think kids his age think about stuff like that much."

Pearl nodded, relieved. "Okay, good. So then, we'll just tell him that. There's no need to make it more complicated than that."

She thought about how Steven would react to such a change in his life, having Peridot stay with them.

"It's a really big responsibility to have her living with us." Pearl said. "I hope Steven can stay calm about it too..."

Garnet yawned, stretching. "This thinking is making me stressed out... as if I wasn't already." She sighed. "This is... actually exhausting."

"Yeah..." Pearl said, yawning as well. She was beginning to feel tired, and had a difficult time thinking.

"This is a lot to think about..." She mumbled. "Not just to take care of Peridot, but just... everything in general." She got up from sitting on the ground, and rubbed her eyes. "It's going to be a lot of work..."

Garnet nodded. "Yep." She huffed. "Well, let's get to work. It's 10 o'clock, and we've got things to do. And after this, I'm gonna take a power nap." 

Pearl nodded, agreeing with Garnet. They did have a lot of things to accomplish today, so getting to work would be good. Pearl felt exhausted too, especially after thinking so much about the whole situation with Peridot and everything else that had been happening recently. But she couldn't take a rest just yet, since there was work to do.

"Right then. I'm with you on that nap later, though," She said with a smile. "It's been a busy week."

Garnet smiled. "Watch and see if Amethyst's teacher assigns her homework, on all the days." She groaned.

Pearl laughed, remembering how Amethyst usually complains about homework. Although, she was curious to know if Amethyst had any new tasks to do at school.

"How much you want to bet Amethyst has homework, just like every week?" She asked, feeling sure that was the case.

Garnet sighed. "It just keeps getting harder and harder. And we were complaining about her 7th grade work." She scoffed.

Pearl chuckled. "Yep, and now she is in the 9th grade so the work gets more complicated. I wonder how she'll manage it..."

She wanted to make sure Amethyst managed all that homework by herself. Amethyst was smart, but she did struggle with staying organized and not procrastinating. She also tended to lose focus quite easily.

"I hope she doesn't leave it all for the last minute." Pearl said.

Garnet laughed. "I miss the long subtraction days."

Pearl laughed as well. "I know... Those days were much simpler."

She sighed. She missed those days, when the only thing she had to worry about is the homework and staying on top of things.

"I'm a little scared of the days when they start learning the harder calculus." Pearl said, with a grimace on her face.

Garnet nodded. "I'll have to reteach myself..."

Pearl sighed in agreement. "Calculus will be a learning curve for all of us. But especially Amethyst."

She was worried what Amethyst might get distracted by while doing math homework. The poor girl struggled staying focused as it is. Sometimes, Pearl had to sit next to her just to prevent her from getting sidetracked with other things. She might also find a way to sneak out of doing homework entirely.

Garnet huffed. "Right." She stretched again before looking around the room. "We're falling off track. Let's get to work, this furniture won't move itself."

Chapter Text

Garnet and Pearl was looking over Stevens room. They had already picked the two up from school, and Steven was confused as to why his room was rearranged.

"Why my bed over there?" He asked in that innocent voice all preschoolers have.

Pearl felt a little bit nervous as she looked over the room. Of course, it looked amazing, but she still felt worried about how Steven would react to it all.

"We wanted you to have a nice space to relax in, Steven," She told him slowly. "One that fits your personality." Pearl said, hoping that Steven would not be upset by the sudden changes.

"Oh." He said. "My pictures still there," he said, pointing to the picture wall of him, Rose, and other memorable memories that involved Steven.

Pearl was glad that Steven seemed to like the changes and was focusing on more positive things in the room.

"Yes, those stay." She said, smiling as she looked at the wall of photos as well. "So, how do you think it looks?" She asked, hoping for honesty and trying to encourage him to share his thoughts.

"Why is it kind of empty?" He asked, seeming confused to why some of his things were swapped around.

Garnet smiled. "We have to have room for new stuff. You're sharing your room, remember?"

Pearl nodded. He was sharing his room with Peridot now, and more space was needed.

"That's right, because you have a new friend staying here, so there needs to be room for her things too. So, there's room if she ever decides to draw or paint here."

"So... what do you think, Steven?" Pearl asked, smiling. "I know it's a lot to take in... especially since we didn't even ask you if you wanted this. But we hope you like it."

"New friend?" Steven asked, turning around, grinning.

"Oh... uhhh..." Pearl was caught off guard by Steven's reaction. "Yes, she'll be staying here. Her name is Peridot."

Pearl was worried that Steven would be upset by this, but instead he seemed excited about having someone new move in. Maybe he liked that a new friend was staying with him.

"Pear-tot?" Steven asked, a big grin on his face.

Garnet giggled. "Peridot."

"Peridot." Pearl said, correcting his pronunciation.

She wasn't sure whether to be concerned or amused by Steven's reaction. On one hand, it was good that he was excited to have someone new living with him. But she wondered whether he fully understood what was happening.

"Steven...you do know what this means, right?" She asked. "You won't be having this room to yourself anymore."

"With Perry-dot?" Steven asked, his face confused mixed with excitement. Garnet chuckled.

"Peridot." Pearl corrected him once again, smiling.

"That's right. Peridot is staying with us now... so.... well, we needed to make some room for her things...you share your room with her now." She said. He might not fully understand what sharing the room with Peridot meant.

"Do you understand?" Pearl asked him.

"Sharing room with Peridot?" Steven asked, saying her name slowly.

Pearl sighed. "Yes... share your room with Peridot. It's called having a roommate, Steven. Peridot will be sharing this space with you..." She paused, wondering if she would be able to get through to him. "She will be living here... in this room... with you."

"So, like, she'll be sleeping in here." Garnet said.

"I show her my toys?" Steven asked, smiling.

She nodded to Garnet's comment. "That's right. Yes, she'll be sleeping here too."

Pearl was glad that Steven was smiling, at least he didn't seem too upset by the changes.

"You can show her your toys, yes. But... remember she does need some time to herself, too. So... just don't bother her too often."

She wanted to teach him to respect people's boundaries and to give people their own space. He liked to show people his toys and art quite a lot.

"Oh, 'kay!" Steven said, walking over to his toy kitchen that was all organized now.

Pearl was happy that Steven seemed to accept Peridot moving in rather quickly. There was a chance that the changes his room would've bothered him, especially since Peridot was going to be sharing the space with him. Steven also liked to show off his organized setup of his toy kitchen.

"Ohh! Your toy kitchen looks beautiful. You do have a lot of toys, Steven." She said with a smile. "Are you excited to show all your things to Peridot?"

"Yeah!" He said excitedly. "She nice?"

Garnet thought for a moment. "She might be a little snappy at first... But I think she just needs time to warm up." She said.

Pearl nodded. "Yes, she can seem blunt or cold at first, but just be patient with her. Over time, she'll warm up to you."

They wanted to prepare Steven for what Peridot was truly like, so he wouldn't be surprised by her behavior. Peridot could be a bit harsh at times, but eventually she would soften up slightly. However, she'd always stay a bit blunt and harsh, and she didn't always say kind words.

"Just give her some time, and she won't be so snappy." Pearl told Steven, smiling.

"Oh... Okay!" He said, going back to playing. "Why's she staying with us?"

Pearl was happy that Steven was playing, as that meant that he was settling in after everything that had happened in his room.

"Well. Peridot has some trouble at her home, she just needs a place to stay for a while." Pearl said, knowing that the truth may confuse him.

"She needs a place to stay? Why?" He asked, his eyes a bit sad.

Garnet thought for a moment. They hadn't told him the full story yet. "She doesn't have a place to stay... But once you get to know her more, we'll tell you more, as we learn more." She said. She hoped Steven wouldn't push for more information, she really wanted to tell him, but she didn't want to accidentally say too much and get him worried.

Pearl nodded. Steven didn't need to know the full story yet, as it was complex and might confuse him.

"She just... doesn't have anywhere else to live right now, so she's staying here with us." Pearl repeated, trying to simplify it for him. "It's a good thing to do, we're helping a friend."

That, at least, was something simple for him to understand. For now, it was better to keep him unbothered by the whole issue.

"Oh... Okay!" Steven said again, looking inside of his toy kitchens oven.

She was glad Steven accepted the explanation.

"Yes, it's a good thing. Just don't forget... Peridot needs a place to stay too. You are sharing a room now with her... so you'll have to be considerate and respectful of her space as well." Pearl told Steven.

It was important for him to understand the rules of living together, so that he would not cause conflict with Peridot by trying to constantly bother her.

"I be nice!" Steven said cheerfully.

Pearl smiled at Steven's enthusiasm.

"That's right. We just need you to respect Peridot's boundaries and give her some time to warm up to you, okay?" Pearl looked down at Steven so she could look him in the eye.

"You can show her your toys, that's okay... but if she asks for some time alone, you should respect her wishes."

She knew Steven struggled with social cues, and she didn't want him overwhelming Peridot.

Garnet smiled, ruffling Stevens curly hair. "And, be patient with her. She might not understand things like you do."

"Yes, that's all very important." Pearl said, nodding. "Just be patient... she can't always express things the way we do."

Peridot did have some struggles with communication. They weren't sure exactly why, but it could've been due to issues with her upbringing, or something else. However, it was important for Steven to understand that Peridot might be different from him.

"Okay! I be extra nice, and I'll play with her! A-and..." Steven paused, thinking of what else he might do to try and make Peridot feel at home. "And I'll let her play with my toys, and we will build with blocks together! And we'll draw together!" He said excitedly.

"That's lovely." Pearl said, smiling at Steven's enthusiasm for hanging out with Peridot. She was sure it would make Peridot feel welcomed and happy in the house.

"Yes, you can build things together and play with blocks. You can even try drawing with her too. She loves drawing so that will be exciting."

Pearl thought about something else.

"And yes, feel free to share your toys with her. You have to be respectful too, she can play with your things but she also wants to spend time alone sometimes. Just like you." Pearl told him.

"Okay! I'll make her feel comfortable! And I won't annoy her, like I do Ame-test!" Steven said, grinning.

Garnet laughed. "That's good. We wouldn't want to annoy her now, would we?"

Pearl nodded once again, happy that Steven was taking this so well.

"Yes, exactly. We don't want to annoy her, okay? She is sharing the house with us, so it's best to get along with her."

She hoped he would remember what she said. As much as his excitement was endearing, it could also be a problem if he was too energetic around Peridot.

"We'll be nice, and we'll even get her a bed! Right here!" Steven said, moving away from his kitchen, to a random empty spot in the room. He bent down, patting the floor.

Pearl smiled, nodding again. "Yes, we will get her a bed."

It was nice to see how excited he was about helping Peridot feel at home. In the past, he could sometimes be a bit spoiled about him needing everything to be a certain way. She was glad to see him so accepting.

"Do you want to help us pick out the bed?" Pearl asked him. "I think she would love to have you help her if you wouldn't mind."

Steven nodded, with a proud look on his face. "Yeah! I'll help pick out her bed! She'll love it!" He said, clapping excitedly.

Garnet chuckled. "I'm sure she will." She smiled.

Steven looked so proud, it was adorable. But they couldn't help but wonder if he would act totally different once he met her.

But then again, Steven has a big heart. He always sees things in a way no one else sees them, and always gives everyone a chance. He was always so friendly and sweet. He was a little social butterfly who spreads joy among to others. And they knew that Steven would do the same to Peridot.

Chapter Text

Amethyst was sitting in the living room with Steven, who was putting his sandals on beside her.

Amethyst sighed. "You know what this means, right?" She asked him.

"That I'm gonna have a new friend?" Steven asked.

"No--well--yes," Amethyst said, rolling her eyes. "But worse. Do you know where we're going?" She asked, looking down at Steven who was on the floor looking for his lost sandal. 

"IKEA?" Steven asked, looking under the table. 

Amethyst muttered something under her breath. "Yes, but do you know what this means!?" She asked again, losing her patience.

Steven found his sandal, raising up to look at her. "What does it mean?"

Amethyst huffed. "That we're going to have to waste our Saturday in IKEA." 

"Why's that bad?" Steven asked, looking confused.

"Because we're going to have to survive nine hours of IKEA!" Amethyst said.

"Nine hours? That long?" Steven asked again, seeming to lose his enthusiasm.

"Yes." Amethyst said. "I know, I'm just as excited as you." She sighed, leaning back.

"But it will be fun! I've never been there before," Steven said excitedly.

"You have, but you were only little." Amethyst explained.

"But there will be lots of cool furniture!" Steven grinned.

Amethyst smiled at his excitement. "I guess so." She shrugged. "I'm going to go to sleep on one of the beds..." She yawned, laying down on the couch.

"Are you two ready to go?" Garnet asked them, prodding at Amethysts face to make her get up. Amethyst grumpily flopped over onto her stomach. 

"I'm so excited!" Steven said, hopping up from where he was searching for his sandals.

Pearl was a little confused by Amethyst's attitude towards a potential new resident of the house. Was it really that bad to have to go to IKEA to get her a bed? Perhaps Amethyst was still a little bitter about Peridot possibly living with them and being able to stay there. Her response to Steven didn't seem too enthusiastic to help her feel at home.

Pearl figured that Amethyst was just tired of the day or was having a bad moment. Pearl found his sandal, giving it to him.

"Me too!" She said. "It's like a whole mall but for furniture!"

Amethyst groaned, rolling over onto her back. "I can't wait to find a couch that's more comfortable than any bed I've ever slept on and fall asleep on it for the whole afternoon."

Steven was excitedly kicking his feet. "I can't wait to see all of the cool stuff they have!"

Pearl looked at Amethyst, rolling her eyes at her sarcasm. She guessed Amethyst would make it very clear how much she wanted Steven to understand the burden of having someone living with them.

She bent down to Steven, smiling and nodding in agreement to not only make him feel better about Amethyst's rude response, but to also keep him excited.

"Exactly! It's like a museum, or a showroom, but for furniture! You can find the perfect bed for Peridot and anything else you want if you'll need it. It's going to be so fun!"

"Yay!" Steven said. Amethyst was just already dozing off.

Pearl took Steven's hand and looked up at Amethyst, shaking her slightly. She needed to wake her up, as Steven's excitement was still high.

"Amethyst, don't ruin this." Pearl told her. "You know how much Steven loves to help people, and he wants to be best friends with Peridot. He loves everyone, and he wants to be as kind to Peridot as possible." Pearl's voice was stern yet soft, and she was certain Amethyst would listen to her.

"That's not what I'm trying to do! I just..." Amethyst broke off, huffing.

Pearl was confused once more. Amethyst was usually so chill and relaxed, so her behavior today was very strange for her.

"Amethyst, is everything okay?" Pearl asked her.

"Yeah, I'm just tired." Amethyst said, rolling her eyes again.

Pearl didn't buy it for a second. If Amethyst didn't want to go, she should say that. But she was certain there was something more to this.

Pearl sighed and shook her head, figuring Amethyst was going to be in a mood.

"What's wrong, Ame-test?" Steven asked innocently.

"Nothing." Amethyst replied dryly.

"Amethyst, look. Amethyst, tell me. What is wrong?" Pearl asked her slowly. She was beginning to get worried about Amethyst's attitude at the moment.

"Yeah, what's wrong, Ame?" Steven asked, worry in his voice.

"I'm just a little tired, okay?" Amethyst said, trying to keep her voice steady. She was clearly hiding something.

Pearl sighed, looking down at Steven. "Steven, Amethyst is a little...in a bad mood right now, but she's not angry at you. It's a really not your fault."

"But what's wrong though?" He asked once more, looking up at Amethyst.

"Yeah, Amethyst?" Pearl continued, waiting for an answer.

Amethyst opened her eyes, glaring at them. "It's nothing!"

Pearl was fed up of Amethyst's attitude. It had to be something.

"It's not nothing. You're clearly upset." Pearl said to Amethyst, being serious. "Tell me why you're upset. Is it over Peridot?" She asked her. Pearl hoped that maybe getting Amethyst to open about her feelings might at least make her less of a grouch for Steven, even just for the day. Steven deserved better, especially since he was doing something nice for Peridot.

"Well, obviously!" Amethyst snapped. "You guys are going to foster some kid, that I've never met before, and I don't know what to think about it! And it's really stressing me out. I know I don't have a say in it, but..." She sighed.

Pearl put her hands on her hips, clearly frustrated. She couldn't help but think that Amethyst's reaction was a bit selfish.

"She needs a place to live, Amethyst." Pearl said to her. "Steven wants to make her feel comfortable, so he can have a friend! And you should want her to feel welcome here. You're acting like you hate that she's living with us, like she's a burden." Pearl sighed, shaking her head. "Steven is the only one looking at this the right way."

"I'm sorry, but it's such a big change!" Amethyst argued.

"Change is a part of life." Pearl said sternly.

"Things will change all throughout your life. It's just how things are. And you can't just hate change just because it's hard."

She sighed and looked at Amethyst. "If Peridot lives with us, that means we have to all get along. Steven is so excited to meet her, but you're just complaining. Don't you want to help make her feel welcome too?"

Amethyst didn't reply.

Pearl hoped that Amethyst's silence meant she would realize that what she was doing was wrong. She couldn't ruin Peridot's chance of feeling like she belonged here, just because Amethyst felt anxious about her staying with them.

Pearl looked over at Steven, he was still looking up at Amethyst with a concerned expression. "Steven, she's just having a moment." Pearl reassured him. "She'll get over it." 

Pearl was pretty annoyed at Amethyst's reaction to the situation, so she would talk to her about it afterwards.

Amethyst rolled her eyes, heading towards the door.

"Amethyst." Pearl said sternly.

Amethyst silently groaned, turning around.

"I never thought you'd be so hesitant about this." Pearl told her. "You usually love meeting people, making them feel at home. Why are you so resistant to Peridot living here with us?"

Amethyst narrowed her eyes, turning around again.

"Amethyst. Turn around and face me." Pearl said sharply, trying to not get upset with Amethyst.

Steven was watching the exchange between Pearl and Amethyst, and he looked nervous, not wanting the two to fight.

Amethyst huffed turning around. "What!?"

"I'm just shocked at how much you're overreacting and are so against Peridot staying here." Pearl looked into Amethyst's eyes, and thought about what to say for a moment.

"Steven wants her to feel welcome here. And so do I. If she has nowhere else to go, and no one else to turn to, I'm not going to be upset about her living with us. Steven is so excited to meet her, he wants to help her feel welcome here, and you should feel the same way."

Amethysts eyes teared up. "No, I shouldn't. I deserve to have a say in this."

Pearl couldn't believe how upset Amethyst was over this all. She expected her to be a bit anxious and grumpy, not full blown upset about it. She looked genuinely hurt, she hadn't expected such a strong reaction from her.

"I know you should have a say in it, but you're acting like the world is ending by having her live here. She's going to be an amazing addition to the family." Pearl tried to sound comforting because Amethyst's behavior was confusing and hurtful.

Amethyst turned around, wiping her tears. "Whatever."

"Amethyst." Pearl sighed. "Why am I bothering... You're obviously in a bad mood. Maybe talking about this later is better." Maybe that would be for the best. Amethyst was clearly emotional over this, so Pearl chose to not prod any deeper or force her to open up. She looked over at Steven, wondering if he heard any of the conversation between Pearl and Amethyst.

Steven was looking sadly at Amethyst, not understanding her emotions. 

"Steven, let's go." Pearl said to Steven.

"Okay..." Steven said, sounding uncertain and a little upset. He followed closely behind Pearl, heading towards the door again. Amethyst continued to look back at Pearl, she definitely heard their conversation. However, she still had her back turned, and didn't say a word.

Chapter Text

Peridot was led to a room. She opened the door. A lady with strawberry blonde hair gave a little gasp. She had shorts on, so Peridot could see her strong legs. 

Peridot glared at them, with a bit of an hostile-ish look in her green eyes, hidden by curiosity. 

"Hi!" Pearl said to Peridot, with a smile on her face. "It's nice to meet you! I hear you're going to be living with us soon, I'm Pearl." The woman with strawberry blonde hair said.

The other lady, a strong woman who had her hair in an afro, one eye blue and one eye brown, a birthmark in the palm of her hand, and a British accent spoke up. "Hello there." She said. She was quite scary.

Peridot looked at the woman, who had greeted her in a bubbly and overprotective way. It was a little annoying, but Peridot tried not to show her true feelings towards her. She also looked at the other who was tall and imposing with her afro and dark skin. It was a bit intimidating at first.

"Hi?" Peridot said hesitantly. 

"And this is Garnet." Pearl said, looking over at Garnet, who was still staring curiously at Peridot, feeling her hostility towards them. Garnet couldn't help but smile a bit at Peridot's attitude, knowing they were in for one heck of a ride.

"You're very pretty." Pearl said to Peridot, trying to sound more friendly.

Pearl had no idea how to deal with Peridot's harsh and coldness, especially towards her. She felt a bit unsure of herself, something that she didn't feel frequently.

"Nice to meet you." Garnet said, with a small gentle smile on her face.

Peridot felt a bit calmer as Garnet smiled at her in a friendly way. She really did seem a little scary at first.

Pearl decided to do what was best for Peridot, and to act as friendly and welcoming as possible, even if she didn't like Peridot's hostile attitude towards her.

"I love your outfit." Pearl said, her tone sounding as friendly as she could make it.

A bit of friendly chatter, and Peridot would come to feel comfortable. She just wanted to do everything she could to make Peridot feel welcome with Steven and Amethyst.

Peridot turned her attention to Pearl. She didn't really know how to react to compliments. Plus, all she was wearing was a green shirt, and overalls. 

"...Nice to meet you." She replied, trying to be polite and nice. It was good that they were nice to her, but maybe they would be a little too overprotective...

Pearl looked at Peridot with an understanding smile, trying to not push her boundaries.

"It isn't about the outfit on the outside, it's about how the outfit reflects the person wearing it." She explained to Peridot.

Pearl wanted Peridot to maybe feel less anxious about joining their family if she just said something nice about her outfit. "I think your outfit fits you perfectly."

"Oh..." Peridot said, clutching one of the straps of her overalls.

Pearl saw how nervous Peridot was about joining their family, and decided to try and make her feel less nervous.

"So, Peridot, um... I know this is a big change for you, joining us and... and I wanted to tell you something."

Pearl looked down at Peridot, and took a deep breath.

"We only want what's best for you. That's why we invited you to live with us. Steven really wanted a cool big sister, like Amethyst."

Pearl hoped what she said helped Peridot feel better.

Peridot looked skeptical. "Steven? Amethyst...?"

"Oh yes, Steven and Amethyst are part of our family." Pearl replied, with a smile, hoping to make Peridot not so anxious about all this.

"They're going to be so happy to meet you." Pearl added, sounding excited about Peridot meeting Steven.

"Oh, I'm sorry. We are Stevens caretakers. And Amethyst is liker his cool big sister, like I mentioned." Pearl said, smiling a little.

It was still a bit hard for Pearl to not notice the hostility Peridot had towards her, but she tried her best to ignore it.

"Oh..."  Peridot said blankly.

"Are you ready?" Garnet asked calmly.

"... Ready for what?" Peridot asked, feeling uncomfortable. She had come here to discuss the possibility of living with Pearl and Garnet, but it seemed they already knew about it and were ready to take her in.

Maybe it was best not to ask too many questions. The way they looked at her, she felt like they were looking at her as a baby. 

 "You're staying with us for a while." Pearl explained. "It's called fostering."

Peridot's eyes widened a little as she heard Pearl say that she would be staying with them. It sounded pretty permanent, and she wasn't sure whether she liked the idea of not being with her parents for so long.

"For... How long?" Peridot asked, trying to control her nervous feelings.

"It could be a few weeks or even months." Garnet said in a gentle voice. "We promise we'll take good care of you."

Peridot listened intently, trying to remain calm and control her growing anxiety around the situation.

"I don't understand... What happened to my parents? Where are they? What's wrong with them?" Peridot asked, feeling really worried as the conversation progressed.

Garnet sighed and sat down in a chair, trying to approach Peridot in a way that made her feel comfortable and safe.

"Peridot..." She started to explain. "Your parents had some problems. They were too busy to take care of you, so for now, you're going to be staying with us."

Peridot stared at Garnet in a state of shock. She didn't know what to say or think.

She had known for a while that things at home weren't the best, but nothing had prepared her for this.

"...My... parents?" Peridot exclaimed. "Are you serious? Do they know about this?"

"Of course," Garnet nodded. "That is why they're doing this. They just want what's best for you."

Peridot took a deep breath, trying to process what Garnet was telling her. It felt like her world was turned upside down.

"But..." She started to explain herself, "I know I was a little difficult sometimes, but I never thought they would give me away for that."

"Peridot..." Garnet spoke softly. "Things are not always what they seem. Your parents are not bad people, but they just need some time to fix the problems they're dealing with, and they couldn't do that with you with them."

"They felt that you would be safer with us." Pearl said. "They wanted you to be safe and sound, while they have their recovery time." She said gently.

"...Re... Recovery time?" Peridot exclaimed, feeling suddenly worried for her parents. 

"What's wrong with them?!" Peridot asked with an upset tone. "Why can't they take care of me right now?"

Garnet flinched, frowning. Pearl looked sympathetic, too.

"Look... I know you miss your parents." Garnet said gently. "But think of it this way, it's for the best. The best thing for you, and the best thing for them."

"... The best thing for them...?" Peridot repeated quietly.

Garnet sighed. "Look, Peridot... Your parents have to deal with their own issues." She said gently. "They're dealing with it the best way they can."

Peridot looked at them, confused and hurt. Suddenly, she got mad. "I don't care if they want a break or something like that!" She exclaimed. "Why am I the one that has to be left out by my own parents?!"

Pearl looked worried and sad, not sure how to respond to Peridot's outburst. She looked to Garnet for help.

Garnet got up, walking over to Peridot. She kneeled down to get eye level with Peridot. She was quite tall, and Peridot was short. Shorter than the average 8 year old.

"Peridot..." Garnet said softly, staring at her eye to eye. "Your parents want the best for you. They love you, very much so. They just need time to help themselves, and the best way they can do that is for you to be somewhere safe with people you can trust."

"Peridot, please..." Pearl said quietly. "Think about how your parents feel... They don't want to leave you, but they have to. Just for a bit."

Pearl was a little nervous at saying anything else. She just wanted Peridot to be happy, not angry and upset.

Peridot looked away from Garnet, looking a bit ashamed. She could tell that Garnet truly wanted her to understand that her parents loved her, but she still didn't get why she had to leave.

It felt terrible to leave her own family...

"... Okay..." Peridot mumbled, feeling a little less angry.

But then, she got confused again. "But... If my parents still love me... Why did they have to give me up?" She asked.

Garnet sighed, shaking her head. "Peridot, there are many different reasons why people give their kids up for foster care or adoption."

Garnet continued to try to reassure Peridot, "You'll be alright, Peridot." She said, in a comforting way. "You'll be okay."

Peridot turned away, fighting back tears. She didn't want to admit it, but she was scared.

"I'm just afraid..." She said in a soft voice, finally turning to face Garnet. "...that if I leave my parents now, then they will forget about me."

Garnet knew that this wasn't true... but was Peridot truly ready to leave her home? Was she ready for such a change?

"...They'd never forget about you," Pearl said softly.

Pearl's heart was hurting for Peridot, seeing how much she was struggling with this. Her fears were so similar to her own.

"Peridot..." Pearl said softly, trying to find the words to reassure her. "That is never going to happen."

"I promise you, your parents love you and they will never forget about you. Sometimes parents have to do things like this... But they always love their children."

Pearl was trying to make Peridot think more positively, but she herself still had her own worries and thoughts that reminded her of her past.

"... You promise?" Peridot asked. "They won't forget about me?"

Garnet and Pearl nodded to assure Peridot that her parents would never forget about her. She took a deep breath, trying hard to hold back her tears.

She tried to focus on the idea of living with Garnet and Pearl and being treated like their own child. She imagined how they would always be there for her and never give her up.

"Okay..." Peridot replied. "... I'll stay."

Garnet nodded. "So for the time being, let's let both yourself, and your parents heal." 

Peridot nodded, trying to stay positive.

"I just hope that my stay with you guys won't be too long..." Peridot said quietly. "I miss my parents."

Garnet and Pearl smiled at Peridot, glad that she had decided to stay with them for now. They were both proud of Peridot for being brave, and they were both confident that she would love living with them.

"Don't worry, Peridot." Garnet said. "We'll take good care of you."

Peridot nodded, feeling a bit better. It felt good to know that Garnet and Pearl cared about her so much. She felt a little more at home already.

But something was still bothering her... It felt like she was really missing her parents a lot.

"Will I be able to visit my parents?" Peridot asked carefully. "Just to make sure that they're doing okay..."

"Of course," Pearl said in a bit of a sympathetic voice.

"... Oh! That's good..." Peridot replied with a small smile.

"So once in a while, you can take me to visit them, right?" Peridot asked.

Garnet and Pearl nodded in agreement.

"We can do that for you, Peridot." Pearl said. "We just love having you here with us. We don't want you to think that we're here to replace your parents."

Peridot listened intently to that, feeling a bit more comforted by their promises. She knew that she was not being abandoned by her parents.

Garnet looked at Peridot and smiled in a reassuring way. "Look, Peridot, we know this is a difficult situation for you. But we promise to take good care of you and always have your best interests in mind."

Peridot nodded, feeling a bit better now. They seemed to really care about her, and what they said made sense. Pearl nodded. Garnet stood up.

Perhaps it was best to stay there for now, and to try to enjoy her time with Garnet and Pearl. For the time being, it was clear that they only wanted what was best for her...

Pearl was very happy with how the conversation was going. She was expecting it to be much more awkward. She felt that Peridot would be safe, and that she would soon see her parents once in a while. She couldn't wait to introduce Peridot to Steven, too! That would be a lot of fun. She was just worried about how Amethyst was going to react.

"So, Peridot..." Pearl said quietly in a soft yet excited voice. "You ready to come home with us?"

Peridot nodded. "I... think... so."

Pearl couldn't help but smile.

"Oh, that's good!" Pearl said softly. "We'll take your things, and bring you home to our house."

Pearl looked to Garnet and nodded, ready to take Peridot home with them.

Peridots eyes lit up, and she held back just a small smile. She followed Garnet and Pearl the exit as they talked. They kept reassuring her that they took care of her and they would be there for her. She still felt sad and confused. There was no place like home. She couldn't help but feel like they were replacing her parents with themselves... But she decided to trust them and their promises. She really had nothing else to do.

She was hoping her stay with Garnet and Pearl would be a good thing. She just wanted to feel safe again and loved by someone. 

Maybe she should let her parents, and herself heal. It would take a lot of courage, surely. But she still had hope that maybe, things would change for the greater good. 

Chapter Text

As the time came, the three of them stood outside of the front door.

"Peridot, are you ready?" Pearl asked her kindly.

"Hm. I suppose so," Peridot said, shrugging.

"Great!" Pearl smiled. Peridot didn't get why she was so enthusiastic.

Pearl opened the front door, and walked inside, Garnet following behind her.

"Here we are, Peridot." Pearl said, and beckoned Peridot to follow her.

Inside, was a neatly decorated living room. Above the couch, was some family pictures. on the right was stairs, and beside them was a bathroom. on the left was a kitchen. 

Peridot was scanning the room, a curious expression on her face. It seemed she didn't know what to think.

Pearl's mouth curved into a tiny smile. "This is the living room. Our house is mostly neat and organized, just the way I like it." She turned back to Peridot.

"What do you think?" Pearl asked.

"Hm..." Peridot narrowed her eyes. She didn't quite know what to think. It was very neat, yes. And it wasn't over decorated, nor under decorated. Just right, she supposed. 

Pearl grinned. "Wait until you see the other rooms in the house."

Pearl gestured for Peridot to follow her, as she walked to the kitchen. 

"Now, in this room, we'll have all of our food. But this is more than just a place for us to eat. This is my favorite room in the house."

"Pearl! You must be exaggerating again." Garnet teased.

"Am I not entitled to my opinions, Garnet?" Pearl replied with a smirk.

Peridot glanced at Garnet with a confused, mixed with annoyed, expression. She didn't get the joke. 

"I thought the kitchen would be your least favorite room." Garnet said. "You're a nightmare when it gets messy,"

"Ah, you see Garnet," Pearl giggled slightly. "It's not so much what my kitchen looks like, but what is IN the kitchen that makes it so important."

She turned to Peridot and gave her a wide grin.

"We'll make food in here, and eat in here!" Pearl said passionately. "And, sometimes... we'll even listen to music and talk about things in here."

"It's a living, breathing, social room." Pearl concluded, and made an overly exaggerated gesture with her arms.

Peridot stared at her judgtngly. She didn't get why the kitchen was so special. 

"Do you understand now, Peridot? It's the room where we eat food AND enjoy each other's company."

Pearl's grin widened. "We make food in here, eat in here, sing in here, and watch movies together in here." She added, making a few more hand gestures to point out all of the activities that they could do.

"How amazing is that, Peridot?"

Peridot blinked, looking to Pearl, and Garnet with a judgy expression, and to the ground again. She didn't get how they would watch movies in the kitchen. 

Peridot looked back up to Pearl again. "It's not amazing." She replied, her face going blank.

"... It's... okay, Peridot." Pearl wasn't mad. She just wanted Peridot to be happy. "That's fine, if you don't think the kitchen is amazing."

"How about... the other rooms in the house?" Pearl suggested. "Maybe one of them will be amazing."

She turned around and walked to the living room. "Shall we..."

Pearl gestured for Peridot to follow them.

Peridot stared at them with a confused expression.

Pearl looked back at Peridot, noticing her expression.

"You don't like the idea of watching movies or being in the kitchen?" Pearl asked. "Is it because you've never done that before?"

She couldn't help but think that she should have considered that maybe, Peridot would find a lot of this new and strange. It was a big change for her. Maybe even something overwhelming.

Peridot slowly shook her head, glaring at Pearl.

Pearl took a step closer to Peridot, wanting to help her understand better... but not wanting to upset Peridot any further.

"Peridot, if you want..." Pearl said, trying to reassure Peridot. "You just have to give the kitchen a chance. Once you eat some of Garnet's amazing food... you'll like it."

Pearl had to keep a straight face when she mentioned Garnet's home cooking abilities.

"And, I can guarantee that you'll love sitting in the living room and watching a show with us."

Peridot crossed her arms. "I guarantee that I will not."  Peridot replied, her face emotionless.

Pearl tried her best to keep a straight face, but her expression was filled with surprise.

"Well, you won't be able to say you don't like it until you try it." Pearl said with a warm chuckle.

"Can you at least give the kitchen a chance? I know you'll at least like the couch, I swear."

Peridot hummed, looking away. "Do I have a choice?"

Pearl couldn't help but let out a little laughter.

"Well, unless you plan on starving to death... I think you'll have to give it a try."

Pearl glanced to Garnet, noticing that Garnet was trying to contain her laughter too.

"This will be a process," Pearl thought to herself, but didn't say it aloud.

Peridot held back a groan, not replying. 

Pearl tried to get Peridot's attention again. "Please give the kitchen a chance, Peridot. I know you will at least like that." She said, pleading with Peridot. "It'll be fun to have you eat some of our delicious home cooking."

Pearl glanced to Garnet again, Garnet was still trying to hold back her laughter.

"I'm sure your cooking will be rather... interesting."  Peridot said, looking over to Garnet. "But I'll try it. Just to make you feel better." She glared at them.

Pearl smiled.

"Thank you, Peridot. Please don't be harsh with Garnet's cooking, she really is very good at it!" she implored.

"Do you want to see the other rooms in the house now?" Pearl asked her. "It's up to you." She added, trying to give Peridot some freedom in her decision making.

"Whatever." Peridot shrugged, yawning.

Pearl took a few steps forward, and gestured for Peridot to follow her.

"Come on." Pearl said calmly, keeping her expression as neutral as possible, so as to not upset Peridot. "We still have to show you the rest of the house."

Peridot was quiet, her arms still crossed. She had no idea what to expect anymore, and her patience was slowly slipping away.

Pearl took Peridot upstairs, Garnet following close behind.

"This is our room, Peridot. It's shared by me and Garnet." Pearl said as she opened the door. "Do you want to go inside?"

Peridot was silent, she still had her arms crossed.

"I'll take that as a... not really? Just peek inside, if you want." Pearl continued, trying not to come off as too overbearing.

"It's... clean." Peridot shrugged.

"It's just how I like it." Pearl said softly, with a small smile. "Clean, organized, and with everything at its proper place." She said.

"Oh." Peridot said, a look of disapproval on her face.

"You don't like clean?" Pearl asked, now a bit confused. "And," Pearl said, her voice still quiet. "Garnet Isn't the messiest person out there either. You can see she keeps her half of the room clean."

Peridot narrowed her eyes. "I like it how I like it." She said, turning away.

"Okay." Pearl responded, trying to keep her tone and expression as neutral as possible to avoid making Peridot upset.

Garnet tried her best to keep up her composure, and keep a straight face. She loved Peridot's bluntness, but the fact that Peridot wasn't really impressed by anything Pearl showed her was starting to become concerning.

"Do you want to see one more room?" Pearl asked. "This is the last one, I promise." 

Peridot thought for a moment, turning around again. "I suppose so," she shrugged, her face serious.

"Okay then. I think you might like this room." Pearl said, a small smile on her face, trying not to get excited.

"I mean, I hope you like this room..." Pearl muttered under her breath, hoping she was doing alright with Peridot so far.

Pearl opened the door to Steven's room, and stepped aside to let Peridot enter.

The room was a pastel yellow. On the right was a toddler bed, and on the left was a bigger bed with drawers underneath. That side of the room also had a dresser, an empty book shelf, and a desk and chair just Peridots size.

On the right side was a smaller bookshelf with a lot of toddler and children's books in it, a hanging net in the corner carrying Steven's teddy bears, a dresser of his own, a toy organizer with a bunch of smaller toys in it, neatly organized, and a toy box, with bigger toys. Underneath them was a carpet so Steven wouldn't have to sit in the floor while playing. There was one Ponycycle in the corner, too.

Peridot stepped in, not seeming too interested. She took a look at the two beds, then up to the picture wall up above Stevens bed.

Overtop Stevens bed was a bigger picture frame. It was of a woman with a big baby bump, and pink, half up and half down curled hair. She was wearing a pink flow-y dress, sitting on a bench with pink rose bushes behind her. She was looking down at her belly and holding it, grinning. She was beautiful, picture perfect.

Around the picture, were a bunch of small ones. One was of a smaller girl, with short, lavender hair. She had dark skin, but it was lighter than Garnets. She was holding a newborn baby.

The third one was of a man with long hair, holding the baby next to a guitar. The baby had on a little rockstar costume.

The next one was a picture of a woman with long, blonde hair, and a trad goth mixed with pastel goth type of style. She was playing with the baby, helping him sit up, grinning. The same girl that was in the 2nd picture was looking at her with an open grin, holding a teddy bear.

Next was of the baby trying to eat a pickle. There was one of him sitting beside a toddler that was probably about 3 years old, who was looking at him trying to show him a toy.

There was also a bunch more, too, but the ones that stuck out most was of the baby, about 1 year old, sitting in a bubble bath with bubbles on top of his head. The next was of him eating a donut, one of him eating cotton candy, one of him stuffing his face with cake, one of him ripping through a wrapped gift, and one of him holding up a 'first day of preschool' one. He was a bit older, and that was the last recent looking one.

Pearl took a few steps back, observing Peridot's reaction to Steven's room.

"What do you think, Peridot?" Pearl asked her with a smile, wanting to see if Peridot would think that Steven's room was 'interesting.'

From the way Peridot was looking around the room, scanning everything, Pearl thought that Peridot was looking at the pictures on the wall with lots of curiosity.

Peridot pointed to a picture with the baby alone in it. "Who's that?" She asked curiously.

"That, is Steven when he was a baby." Pearl said softly. "Do you know who is in the picture with him?" Pearl wanted to test Peridot's observation skills.

"His mother, most likely." Peridot said, her arms crossed, still observing bits and pieces of the room.

"Yes! You're right, that is Steven's mother!" Pearl said excitedly, a big smile on her face. "And... yes, it's his mother, Rose. That's correct. Very impressive." Pearl said in a soft voice.

Peridot was looking a bit surprised by her correct responses, Pearl noted this with a small chuckle.

"Do you like looking at these pictures?" Pearl asked Peridot. "Would you like to see more of them?" She suggested.

Peridot thought for a moment. She looked to be thinking about rejecting, but turned to Pearl. 

"I guess. Why not?" Peridot said plainly.

Pearl's smile grew, happy to see Peridot show an interest in something. She walked into the room, and gestured for Peridot to follow her.

"The pictures here are from when we first had Steven." Pearl explained, picking up a picture frame from the wall. "We took these pictures of him all the time when he was smaller. Let me show you some of my favorites."

Pearl picked up another picture frame. It showed Steven looking up at the camera, and holding onto a small toy. He was wearing a small outfit, with a bow tie. He looked adorable.

Peridot glared at it, her eyes relaxed and a little less hostile.

"Isn't that just adorable? He's so cute!" Pearl said with a smile, looking down at the picture with a soft smile.

"Do you like Steven?" Pearl asked Peridot suddenly, afraid they would have a hard time getting along with each other. Well, afraid that Peridot would have a hard time getting along with Steven.

Peridot turned away, and shrugged. "He's annoying..." She said, not saying anything else for a moment.

"Oh!" Pearl's expression changed to surprise.

"Why do you think he's annoying?" She asked, trying to have a conversation with Peridot.

"He's just... annoying." Peridot scoffed, going quiet again.

Pearl tried to think of a response that wouldn't possibly upset Peridot further, she didn't want Peridots behavior to get worse.

"Maybe you just don't understand him. Steven is... well, he's complicated like all of us..." Pearl said quietly, trying again to keep a neutral expression.

"And, you know, sometimes people can be annoying from time to time." She added. "Steven sometimes is, but he's really just a sweet little boy. You'll start to like him more once you know him." She smiled to Peridot.

Peridot looked down, thinking.

Pearl waited, hoping Peridot would say something more, anything at all.

Pearl could feel herself getting anxious, she wasn't doing something correctly by the looks of it... Was it the comments she made about Steven? She thought she was being neutral enough.

"What about me, Peridot?" Pearl asked. "Do you find me annoying, yet?" She chuckled, and tilted her head, trying to lighten the mood.

Peridot seemed to have a lot to say, but kept her mouth shut. She shrugged.

Pearl tried not to seem too disappointed by Peridot's response, but she had a slight frown on her face.

"Okay then." Pearl said, looking down at her feet for a moment, before looking back at Peridot.

"Do you want to go back downstairs now?" Pearl asked. "I could tell you some more about the house."

Although she wasn't doing that well talking with Peridot, she wasn't giving up yet.

Peridot again thought for a moment. "Sure," she shrugged.

"Okay! Let's go." Pearl walked down the stairs, her expression now completely neutral, in an attempt to not upset Peridot. She was ready to hear another brutal response.

Once they sat down in the living room, Pearl waited to see if Peridot would say anything else. She felt anxious still, even though she told herself not to take anything Peridot said too personally.

Peridot leaned back, getting comfy on the couch. Her eyes were heavy, and she yawned. She continued to not say anything, her eyes wandering around the room.

Pearl noticed Peridot's eyes looking at the room and she followed Peridot's eyes. Pearl's gaze traveled around the room, trying to see what Peridot was focusing on.

"Do you like the living room?" Pearl asked.

She thought she had to keep the conversation going, otherwise Peridot will get bored, and that seemed to be a bad outcome if it happened, especially now.

Peridot yawned again. "I guess so. It's... interesting." She said.

"Interesting? How so?" Pearl asked, trying to get a conversation started.

Pearl hoped that talking with Peridot was going well, so she continued to try to be entertaining, not too annoying, but also not too boring. She was trying her best.

Peridot thought.

"Well, it has a lot of decor, and pictures." She said, closing her eyes.

Pearl was about to respond, when she noticed Peridot was closing her eyes and yawning.

"Oh, Peridot? Are you tired?" Pearl asked.

Peridot opened her eyes, siting up. 

"Me? No," she said quickly, switching to something else. "So... What about Steven? When do I have to meet him?" She asked, not knowing that he was at Greg's house, and that Amethyst was at school.

"Well... he's not here." Pearl started slowly.

"You see, Steven went to his dad..." Pearl paused, it seemed Peridot didn't know that much about Steven yet. "...Greg Universe, his dad, you know?" She explained, hoping Peridot understood.

As for Amethyst, Pearl had no intentions to bring her up at the moment. 

Peridot hummed. "I'm not in any rush to meeting him, but I have to admit, he seems exciting enough." Peridot said, her tone neutral.

Pearl thought about that for a moment before speaking. "...Exciting, you say? Do you think... that Steven is interesting?" Pearl asked.

She was hoping that Peridot thought the same way Pearl thought about Steven, he was very interesting.

Pearl waited to hear Peridot's response, her eyes widening ever so slightly.

Peridot was quiet. Eventually, she sighed. 

"I suppose that's what I'm indicating to." She said. "I'm sure that he'll be a headache to be around, still."

Pearl heard Peridot say that Steven would be a "headache" to be around and it made her slightly anxious.

"Oh... why do you think he'll be a headache?" Pearl asked, raising an eyebrow at Peridot's comment.

"He's honestly just an amazing, kind-hearted young boy." She continued, smiling. She thought Steven was a delight, not a headache.

Peridot shrugged again. "All kids are headaches." She said.

"Even me."

"Oh... I see." Pearl replied, trying to hide her slightly disappointed expression.

Pearl was trying to remain cheerful or Peridot's sake, but honestly, she thought what Peridot said about Steven was a bit rude.

"Yeah, I suppose so... Kids can be a lot to handle sometimes." Pearl said with a small chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm a headache, no matter how much I try not to be." Peridot said.

"I... don't think you're annoying." Pearl replied quietly.

Pearl sounded hesitant, like she was worried that she would disappoint Peridot by saying that.

"And, I don't think Steven is a headache either..." She added. "...But we're all entitled to our own opinions, right?"

Pearl's voice sounded a little worried, like she was trying to keep Peridots mood in check, not wanting to annoy her by arguing or disagreeing.

Peridot closed her eyes again. "I think it's more of a fact than it is an opinion,"

Pearl felt herself getting anxious, but she didn't want to be annoying to Peridot. So she instead settled for a quiet reply.

"...Oh..." Pearl shrugged. "Okay then."

"But, Steven isn't a headache, he's a sweet little boy..." Pearl added in her own head, to herself. She didn't want to correct Peridot too much, in fear of making things worse.

She decided to change the subject now.

"Are you hungry, Peridot?" She asked.

Peridot perked up a little. "Oh, yes, I'm hungry,"

Pearl's face lit up in excitement, she was happy that Peridot was speaking more and willing to engage in a conversation.

"You are?" Pearl asked, smiling kindly at Peridot.

Pearl was thinking now.

"Hmm... let's see." Pearl said to herself, while walking over to the kitchen. "What do you feel like eating tonight?" She asked.

Peridot was quiet. She didn't seem to notice what she wanted.

"How do you feel about pizza?" Pearl called out from the kitchen.

Pearl was beginning to prepare some ingredients for pizza. She was thinking if Peridot was picky with food or not, so she decided to ask her.

Peridot slowly nodded. 

"Pizza is... good, I guess."

"Pizza it is then!" Pearl replied happily.

She was happy that Peridot was agreeing with her, and that she didn't seem picky.

Pearl began cooking, making the dough for the pizza, as well as gathering other ingredients like cheeses and sauce. She was trying not to mess up, hoping to impress Peridot. 

Garnet was in the kitchen, too, being there for Pearl incase she needed help with the pizza.

Pearl was happy to have Garnet around while she was cooking, and she continued gathering ingredients and making the dough for the pizza, talking to both Garnet and Peridot while she did so.

"What do you think, Peridot? Does it smell good in here?" Pearl asked, smiling at the pair while her pizza dough was on the tray, ready to be put in the oven.

She was looking at them while she leaned back against the counter, and her hands were on her hips.

"I can't smell anything," Peridot answered, her arms crossed.

"Oh? You don't smell that?" Pearl asked, confused.

She lifted her hand to where her nose was and sniffed something.

"... It smells like pizza to me." She continued, unsure what Peridot was talking about.

She then continued baking the pizza in the oven, keeping an eye on it to make sure it wouldn't burn by accident.

Peridot continued to grumpily have her arms crossed, leaning against the couch and trying to ignore Pearl and Garnet the best she could.

Pearl took note of Peridot's expression. She noticed Peridot ignoring her and Garnet, and she didn't seem happy, and she also said she couldn't smell anything.

Pearl wasn't sure what to do, she just continued to watch the pizza in the oven and tried to keep herself calm and composed

"Peridot, you know... you could come help out," Pearl said to Peridot, trying to get her involved.

"Yeah, but I don't want to," Peridot said.

Pearl stared at Peridot, and she didn't say anything for a moment in response. Pearl felt like whatever she could say to Peridot could not help the situation, and she knew that, so she decided to just continue baking the pizza and ignore Peridot.

There was a silence in the room, only the sound of the oven cooking the pizza and the oven timer going off were heard. Pearl turned off the oven timer, and carefully went to take the pizza out of the oven.

"We've got to go get Steven and Amethyst soon," Garnet spoke up, breaking the silence. Peridot pricked up a little in curiosity.

Pearl smiled slightly when Garnet spoke up.

"Yes, we have to pick them up." Pearl said, and began slicing up the pizza while it was still hot.

She set a plate of the pizza in front of Peridot, hoping maybe she'd be a little more thankful. And... maybe even a little less grumpy.

Peridot sit up, looking at it.

Pearl took her own plate, sat at the coffee table, and went to take a bite of the pizza. She looked over at Peridot to see if she was planning to eat her pizza, with a curious expression on her face.

Peridot picked the pizza up, sniffing it.

Pearl watched Peridot sniff the pizza, unsure what Peridot was doing. She continued to eat her own pizza, feeling unsure about asking anything to Peridot while she kept staring at the pizza and continued sniffing.

Peridot took an experimental bite.

Pearl's eyes widened at Peridot's bite, and she watched her take another bite. She then realized she was supposed to be focusing on eating the pizza herself, and went back to doing that.

"Is it good?" Pearl asked, still trying to get a small conversation going while they ate pizza.

Peridot took a bigger bite, nodding.

Pearl was happy to see Peridot nod. After swallowing her food, she continued speaking.

"You know, we really should go get Steven and Amethyst soon." Pearl said, looking at both Garnet and Peridot.

She took another bite of the pizza, wondering if Peridot might say something if she didn't keep the conversation at least a little going.

Peridots expression was confused, mixed with anxiousness. "Where... are they?" 

"They're at Greg's house." Pearl answered, taking a large bite. Steven loved to be with his dad, while Amethyst liked to get guitar and electric guitar lessons.

She continued eating the pizza, thinking about Peridot's question.

After a moment, Pearl swallowed the pizza and looked at Peridot.

"Do you not want to go get them with us?" Pearl asked, unsure what Peridot wanted to do.

Peridot shook her head quickly.

Pearl put the plate she was holding down on the coffee table, and then looked at Peridot.

"Why not?" She asked, trying to understand Peridot's refusal. Her voice sounded a little worried.

Pearl wanted them to go and pick up Steven and Amethyst together soon.

"I want to stay here," Peridot said. She leaned back, munching on her pizza slice.

"Oh... well that's okay." Pearl said, wondering why exactly Peridot wanted to stay here instead of going to pick up Steven and Amethyst with Garnet and her.

Pearl sighed quietly, but then smiled, noticing that Peridot was actually eating her pizza. "Oh, it looks like you were hungry." She mentioned, trying to say something nice to Peridot.

Peridot just nodded.

"You and Pearl can stay here if you want," Garnet suggested. "I'll go get them."

"...Are you sure?" Pearl asked, unsure if Garnet actually wanted to go get Steven and Amethyst on her own.

She also thought about what Peridot said, and she wondered if this would be an okay solution. Maybe Pearl and Peridot would be able to bond and get along more, if they stayed at the house together without going to pick up Steven and Amethyst. 

"It's no problem," Garnet said. "It would be easier if you two stayed here, anyways." 

Peridot visibly relaxed, letting out a sign of relief.

"...Okay then." Pearl replied, sounding relieved.

She was glad Garnet was okay with it.

Pearl looked back at Peridot, noticing her relief with her expression and expression.

It seemed Peridot was happy with the prospect of staying there, so Pearl decided to just go with it.

Chapter Text

Peridot had leaned back in her chair, finishing up her pizza, while trying to think of something to discuss with Peridot that might peak her interest more.

Peridot watched Garnet leave, then sit up. She looked over to Pearl.

Pearl had finished her pizza and put the empty plate on the coffee table.

She noticed Peridot looking at her, so she looked back at Peridot, and waited for Peridot to speak first.

The silence between the two was awkward, and Pearl had no idea about what to say to Peridot. Especially since all Peridot seemed to want to do was ignore her.

Peridot was quiet, thinking.

"Are you a ballerina?" Peridot asked.

Pearl was taken aback by Peridot's strange question, having been expecting something different from her. But she decided to answer Peridot's question honestly.

"Yes, actually." She said, smiling slightly, and now she was wondering if Peridot guessed that or if she already knew. "How did you know?" Pearl asked, curious.

Peridot shrugged, leaning back. "I was told..." She paused. "Do you have pointe shoes?"

"Yes, I do." Pearl said, smiling as she remembered.

She loved performing ballet.

"Would you like to see them?" Pearl asked, her voice sounding like she genuinely wanted to show Peridot her pointe shoes.

Peridot thought for a moment, then nodded.

Pearl's face lit up. "Oh, good! Come on, let's go get them!" She said, sounding excited and happy.

Pearl stood up, and she had no idea if Peridot would follow, but she hoped she would.

Pearl went over to the bedroom door, which was open, and she looked over her shoulder to see if Peridot would follow her.

Peridot was following behind, seeming quite curious.

Pearl walked to the closet in the bedroom, and she opened the door, getting her pointe shoes out.

She then turned to face Peridot, and she was now holding the pointe shoes up.

"You see, I wear these when I'm performing. They're meant to help me point my toes." She explained proudly.

Pearl looked at Peridot, and she had a hopeful expression on her face, like she wanted Peridot to ask her questions about pointe shoes or ballet.

Peridot reached for them.

"Why do they look so... beaten up?" She asked.

Pearl let Peridot take the shoes, and she watched her closely, curious about what Peridot would do with the shoes.

"I've probably worn them for too long." Pearl admitted, shrugging.

She seemed happy that Peridot was curious about her pointe shoes, and she continued to watch her.

"Do you like them?" She asked.

Peridot gently bent them, squinting.

"... Why do these feel so stiff, and hard? They're like... wood..." Peridot muttered. "And... they're not soft inside at all... Shouldn't there be cushioning inside so that you can stand on your toes?"

Pearl was fascinated watching Peridot look at her pointe shoes with curiosity. She loved that Peridot was interested in them, like how she was interested in them.

"They are designed to feel stiff, that way the dancer can stand on them. And no, there's no cushioning inside." Pearl explained.

"The stiff material is what gives pointe dancers the ability to perform pointe work, which is basically just standing on your toes." Pearl said with a smile.

"Doesn't it hurt?" Peridot asked.

"Yes. It does hurt." Pearl agreed.

She put on a somber expression for a moment, thinking about the pain of pointe work.

"... It's just something that comes with the profession. It's something that pointe dancers have to get used to." Pearl added, shrugging slightly.

"Oh..." Peridot paused. "Do you dance? On a stage?"

Pearl nodded her head. "Yes, I do." She replied, smiling. "When I was younger, I performed in many plays, musicals and ballets."

She thought about those performances for a moment, and her gaze shifted to be elsewhere.

"I had a few roles in ballets where I danced en pointe... it's actually how I broke my leg." Pearl said with a sudden serious expression.

Peridots eyes widened.

"You broke your leg? How?"

Pearl sighed slightly. "I was performing in a production of Cinderella..." She said, reminiscing about it.

"We were in full en pointe, and I was doing a difficult jump that I had always done. I just... messed it up somehow." Pearl explained quietly, as she suddenly went silent.

"The bone broke when I landed on it." She said quietly.

She seemed a little more quiet at the moment, her eyes were slightly downcast.

Peridot winced. "Did everyone see?"

Pearl sighed even more. "Everyone saw. Or, well, most people did." She admitted, but she still had her head down, thinking about that moment.

"I didn't hear anything but the shock in the audience, but one person was actually cheering when I broke it." Pearl finally brought her eyes back up.

There was a strange pause for a moment, when Pearl looked very sad. "Why would someone cheer?" Pearl asked quietly, wanting to know the answer to her question.

"Oh." Peridot said. "That's... weird."

Pearl nodded. "It is weird... it's like... they enjoyed it."

She was thinking about it again, and she sighed again, still seeming unhappy to think about it.

She then looked at Peridot, seeming curious to know something.

"Are you in the arts?" Pearl asked, hopeful. "That's why you asked about pointe shoes, is it because you dance? Why else would you know." She continued.

Peridot shrugged. "I just like how some people are bendy... are you bendy?" She asked.

Pearl didn't seem to fully understand what Peridot was asking, so she thought about the word for a moment.

"...Bendy?" Pearl asked, not sure if that was what Peridot meant.

"You mean like flexible?" Pearl finally guessed, with a small smile.

Pearl could sometimes be a little confused, and had to take her time to figure things out.

Pearl looked at Peridot, wondering if that's what Peridot meant.

Peridot nodded. "I'm bendy," she said. "I don't do dance or anything, I don't even try to be!" she flexed, showing Pearl how she was able to bend her arms and legs etc in unnatural positions.

Pearl couldn't help but chuckle at Peridot's demonstration.

"That's very impressive actually!" Pearl admitted and she sounded a little impressed.

"What I'm curious about is, what gave you such flexibility in the first place? Are you naturally flexible just like that?" She asked.

Peridot shrugged. "I've always been able to do it,"

Pearl nodded slowly, thinking that Peridot's flexibility was actually pretty impressive.

"Then, why haven't you tried dance? You might be good at it." Pearl offered.

She was curious to know what Peridot thought about it now, in the present.

Pearl wondered if she would ever try being a dancer, or even just learn some dance moves as a casual hobby.

Peridot shrugged. "I don't like dance." She said plainly.

Pearl's expression turned to surprise at Peridot declaring that she didn't like dance.

"Why?" Pearl asked, as she tilted her head.

She couldn't figure out why Peridot wouldn't like dance. What if she went to see a performance, then would she like it?

"Have you ever seen a dance performance?"

Peridot shook her head.

Pearl thought for a moment. "Do you think, if you saw a dance performance, maybe you would like it?" She asked, still hopeful.

She couldn't really imagine anyone not liking dance. She loved dance and it was her whole life, and she'd never really met anyone else who didn't like dance, so she was a bit confused.

Pearl was just really curious to know, would Peridot at the very least think dance was okay if she saw a performance?

Peridot thought for a moment, shrugging.

Pearl waited for Peridot to say something, hoping she would give an answer. She wanted Peridot to at least agree that dance was cool if she saw it in a performance. She knew Peridot couldn't know much about it, though, but Pearl still wanted Peridot to understand dance in a way, it was a major part of Pearl's life.

"I'll give it a shot I suppose." Peridot shrugged.

Pearl's expression lit up, and she clapped her hands together.

"Really?" She asked, sounding hopeful.

She couldn't wait to show Peridot how amazing dance could be! "I'd love to show you a performance one day! It'll change your whole outlook on it, I'm sure!" She said excitedly.

Peridot shrugged. "It won't hurt to try,"

Pearl nodded, and she thought for a moment.

She was starting to get excited about the thought of Peridot seeing a performance.

"I think you'd enjoy it, actually..." She said.

Pearl was trying to be optimistic about it for Peridot, because she really wanted her to understand dance in the way she did. She wanted Peridot to love dance, just like her.

Her excitement was apparent from how fast her eyes were blinking.

Peridot hummed, about to say something, before getting interrupted by the front door opening.

"Oh, they must have returned." Peridot said.

Pearl suddenly looked surprised when Peridot said that.

"They're back!?" She asked, turning to face the front door.

Pearl had gotten so caught up in her conversation with Peridot that she had forgotten the others were coming home.

She looked at Peridot with a surprised look on her face, clearly excited to see Garnet, Amethyst, and Steven.

There was the sound of small feet running up the stairs.

"Pearl!" Steven said cheerfully, running into the room, hugging her. Peridot watched, a bit confused, moving over to the side.

Pearl's face lit up, and she suddenly bent down to Steven's level.

"Steven!" She exclaimed happily, her expression shifting into one of excitement as she hugged him back.

She held Steven, and he looked even more adorable than usual, as she saw his excitement to see her too.

"It's so good to see you!" She said, sounding overjoyed.

Peridot watched the two interact, looking back and forth between them.

"Look what dad got me!" Steven said excitedly, showing her a teddy bear. He didn't seem to notice Peridot.

Peridot narrowed her eyes.

"Oh no, he's loud..."

She thought, letting out a little silent groan.

Chapter Text

Amethyst was in the car, watching Steven say bye to Greg. Her electric guitar was at her feet, and her fingers hurt from the lesson Greg gave her.

She leaned her head against the window. She didn't know how to feel about sharing the house with someone she hasn't even met.

Why am I feeling so negative about this? It's not like our new housemate is going to hurt anyone or anything. I bet Steven's right about her. It probably isn't going to hurt to have her around, and maybe she could even benefit us in some way.

I wonder if it has to do with me feeling like my friends don't consider how I feel before doing something. Or if I get worried that I'll be replaced. Why do I have to feel anxious about stuff all the time? I just wish I could relax a little bit more...

Steven climbed into the back, sitting in his carseat. Garnet buckled him in, and Steven started babbling something about his new teddy bear Greg got him. Amethyst wasn't really listening to him.

Why am I so negative about everything lately? I wish I had the same amount of enthusiasm for stuff like Steven does. Instead I just...worry and fret about things. Like maybe I'll be replaced or left behind if someone else comes along.

But I'm not the one who will be replaced in this instance, and I should be happy for Steven getting another friend. Why can't I just do that and relax? Ugh, I never used to be this nervous and stressed. I just want to enjoy life again instead of being so negative about everything that happens.

"And then he went up, and up, and up, and up! And then he fell!" Steven said, holding his teddy bear up, and dropping it.

"And then he died." Amethyst said quietly, closing her eyes.

Steven paused. "Yes... and then he died..." He sounded sad.

Amethyst sighed a little.

I should be encouraging Steven and trying to reassure him. What is wrong with me? I can't even make myself say the right words when he needs comfort. I'd hate to know what else about my attitude is like that.

This is all pretty new for him. I shouldn't just sit quietly, I should at least say something. But I feel like anything I do and says is either wrong or too far. Why do I even bother with things anymore. Am I so bad that I can't just be the right amount of positive or negative about things?

She looked down at her slightly shredded fingers. Some of the skin was peeled off on them.

"Hey Steven, want to hear a fun fact?" Amethyst said, trying to snap herself out of her anxious haze. "Did you know that diamonds are one of the hardest substances?" She offered up, figuring it could be a fun way to distract Steven.

Steven looked up from his teddy bear. "Really?"

"Yep, diamonds are the hardest substance on earth. They're almost impossible to break. They're also very pretty." Amethyst explained. She hoped that talking about this might make Steven forget about the conversation concerning Peridot for a moment, and make him more interested in this fact instead.

Steven thought for a moment. "I think ame'tests are prettier,"

"Amethysts are gorgeous." Amethyst smiled, the compliment seemed to make her feel a lot better. "Did you know that amethysts are purple naturally, too?"

Steven paused, thinking. 

"Is that why you dye your hair purple?" He asked.

Amethyst smiled.

"Yup, I love the way it looks on me. It goes really well with my skin tone, too, if you ask me." She agreed with Steven, making him feel as though he made an observation. She was actually quite proud of her choice in hair colours, and he was right. It did look quite good on her, plus it was easy to maintain, and matched her personality. And her name.

She paused for a moment. "Hey, Steven?"

"Yeah?" Steven asked, hugging his teddy bear.

"What do you think my best trait is?" She asked, wanting to get Steven's opinion about her.

"Uhm..." Steven thinks. "I think... I think you're really fun," he said.

Amethyst smiled even more, visibly relieved by his answer. Steven had just affirmed something that was very valuable to her, and hearing it from him made her feel happy.

"Aww, thank you! I'm glad you think so. I try to be fun for everyone." She replied.

Steven grinned. "And you let me have ice cream when Pearl and Garnet says no!" He giggled.

Garnet, who was listening in amusement, glanced over at Amethyst. "You do?" She asked, with a slight smile.

Amethyst paused, and then looked up at Garnet, slightly guiltily. "Okay, yeah. Maybe not all the time..." She admitted.

Steven giggled. "Amethyst is the best!" He laughed.

Garnet smiled. "Okay. But don't say that around Pearl, Amethyst." 

"Okay." Amethyst agreed, still feeling guilty.

Steven laughed again at this exchange, looking at Amethyst as if she was some kind of superhero.

"I'm learning to play my ukulele dad got me!" Steven said excitedly.

"That's awesome! Are you practicing any songs?" Amethyst asked happily. She always enjoyed music, so Steven's new hobby seemed like the perfect thing to bond with him over. Perhaps it would also make her feel more like the positive role model she wanted to be to him.

"Um... Dad's teaching me one!" He said, kicking his feet joyfully.

Amethyst smiled. Steven's enthusiasm seemed infectious, and she found herself starting to feel more relaxed. She was happy to see Steven getting excited over things again.

"Cool! What song is it?" She asked.

Steven went silent, thinking. 

"I think.. uhm... I don't know!" He eventually admitted.

Amethyst couldn't help but giggle at Steven's reply, as it was far from what she expected. It was okay, though. He wasn't expected to know everything, and at least he had Greg to help teach him.

"That's alright, Steven. As long as you're enjoying playing it, then that's the important thing." She assured him warmly.

"What song is dad teaching you to play, Ame'test?" Steven asked.

"Do you really want to know, Steven?" Amethyst asked, her voice having an ever so slight hint of mischief in it. Steven nodded, and she chuckled lightly.

"He's teaching me to play a song by Led Zeppelin; one of his favorite bands." She explained. "It's called Heartbreaker."

"Oh!" Steven said, seeming interested, as he does with everything else she ever talks to him about.

"We'll see if I'm any good at it." Amethyst said, her tone indicating she wasn't too confident in her abilities to perform the song. She did want to learn more songs from bands like Led Zeppelin, though, because she liked the band. The guitar riffs in Heartbreaker were very recognizable and memorable, too.

"Hey, Steven?" She asked, looking at him.

Steven looked up at her again. 

"Yeah?"

"Can you do me a favor?" She asked.

He looked curious. "What is it?"

"Can you please never say "Ame'test" again? It makes me feel uncomfortable." She replied, laughing a little bit at her own joke.

"I prefer "Amethyst", please." She requested, smiling in Steven's direction to soften the blow of her words. This was something she had decided on a while ago, but she didn't want to hurt Steven's feelings while he was opening up to her about his new hobbies.

"Okay, Am... e... thest!" Steven said, slowly sounding out her name, making sure not to say it too fast and pronounce it wrong again.

Amethyst wasn't too offended at Steven's response, as it was a decent effort on his part. Sure, his pronunciation of the word still seemed to get the idea across, but he was making progress, which was the most important thing. Plus he didn't say it with any sarcasm, or make her feel bad about her name.

"Good job, Steven." She said, smiling again, in a way that showed she was genuinely proud of him for making an attempt. Amethyst was glad he seemed to be making a good effort to work on this.

"Hey, Ame-test?" That was Steven's voice again.

Amethyst sighed, as she should have expected Steven to continue to try her patience. Nevertheless, she was patient enough to answer him.

"Yeah, Steven?"

Steven smiled. "I love you!"

Amethyst froze, looking at Steven happily. He was so sweet. He was a true gem for his compassion, empathy, and love. Amethyst really did love him like her little brother.

"I love you too, Steven." She replied softly, her voice filled with true affection, warmth, and gratitude. Perhaps this made up for the "Ame'test" incident. 

At the very least, it made her happy knowing he looked up to her so much.

Chapter Text

Peridot watched the two interact, looking back and forth between them.

"Look what dad got me!" Steven said excitedly, showing her a teddy bear. He didn't seem to notice Peridot.

"Oh no, he's loud..."

She thought, letting out a little silent groan.

"Ooh! A teddy bear!?" Pearl exclaimed, still sounding excited to see Steven.

Pearl was happy that Steven was excited to show the teddy bear to her, and she looked at the teddy bear.

She had given Steven other plushies before, and seeing him happy to see her made Pearl feel happy.

Pearl was also a bit surprised at how quickly Steven had become so excitable and loud.

"Where did Greg get it from?" Pearl asked, looking at Steven.

She didn't seem to notice Peridot's negative reaction.

"Uhm..." Steven looked down at it, scratching at the nose, thinking. "He ordered it for me!" He said.

Pearl smiled at Steven in reply.

She thought for a moment. "Do you have a name for it?" She asked.

Pearl was curious if Steven had picked a name for the teddy bear yet.

She could tell that Steven didn't look at her much, and she also noticed that he didn't seem to notice Peridot at all. It was strange, really it was. Pearl's attention was now focused on what Steven was doing with the teddy bear.

Steven hummed, looking around, thinking. Then his eyes laid on Peridot. His eyes lit up, and he grinned at her.

Peridot stared him uncomfortably. She shifted a little, waiting for him to say something.

"Hi! My name' Steven!" He said happily, holding his teddy out for Peridot to see.

Peridot slightly nodded, a little fake smile on her face. She didn't want to be harsh to a 5 year old.

"It's very cool..." She nodded, shifting her weight to her other foot.

Pearl couldn't help but laugh at Steven's enthusiasm in wanting Peridot to see.

Was this how Steven normally acted with strangers? It was the first time that Pearl had seen him this happy to meet someone new.

Pearl watched Steven show Peridot the teddy bear, and she wondered if he usually did that for others on purpose.

After a moment of silence and staring at Steven, Peridot spoke up. "I'm... Peridot..." She said.

Steven smiled. "Pear'dot! Pearl and Ga'net telled me about you!" He said.

Peridot narrowed her eyes. She didn't like people who were grammatically incorrect much. But, he was basically a baby still, so she'd let it pass. His speech was better than most kids his age. Even the kids in her class.

Pearl listened to Steven, and she turned her attention to Peridot.

Pearl wondered if she should correct Steven on his pronunciation of Peridot or not.

She decided against correcting him, feeling it wasn't a big deal really.

Pearl smiled when Steven described her and Garnet.

"Is that so? What did they tell you?" Pearl asked, now curious to know what Garnet and Amethyst had talked to Steven about.

Steven nodded, a proud look on his face. "Pea-r-dot is gonna be staying with us for a while!" He said.

Pearl laughed and nodded. "Yes, Peridot is staying here for a while."

Pearl thought to herself, wondering if Steven was actually proud of the fact that Peridot was staying there.

She also thought that Steven had probably picked up the pronunciation from Amethyst. That's the only person Pearl could think of where Steven could have heard the word being pronounced.

Pearl looked back at Steven.

"Are you excited about Peridot staying here?" She asked.

Steven smiled, nodding, with his hands on his hips. "Yeah!"

Pearl smiled at Steven.

"Do you know why Peridot is staying here?" She asked Steven.

Pearl had a feeling that Steven probably knew why, but she was curious to know what Steven thought about it.

Peridot watched him, tilting her head downwards. She wondered what a five year old could possibly think of her reasoning for staying there.

Steven thought for a moment.

"Uhm... Because she has nowhere to go!" He said, sympathy in his voice.

"Well, he's not entirely wrong." Peridot thought to herself.

Pearl smiled at Steven's response.

"That's a pretty good way to describe it." She commended him.

Pearl wondered what Peridot thought of what Steven had said, but she couldn't help but find his empathy towards Peridot sweet.

"Hm.. Yeah, sure." Peridot said, nodding. She herself had never thought to describe it that way before. 

Pearl waited for Peridot to say something more, but she couldn't seem to think of anything. Her response didn't sound very pleased, and it almost seemed to Pearl that Peridot wasn't actually liking the fact that Steven was talking to her.

Steven perked up. "So, do you wanna play now?" He asked.

Peridot looked a bit thrown off guard. "Uhm..."

Pearl saw the look of surprise on Peridot's face as Steven asked her to play.

Pearl wasn't sure what Peridot's answer would be.

Peridot glanced at Pearl for help. Then, after a few seconds, she spoke up.

"Maybe later." She said.

Steven was quiet for a moment.

"Oh, okay." He said, looking down to his teddy bear.

Pearl smiled nervously at Steven, sensing his disappointment. She could tell that Steven wanted Peridot to play with him, but then Peridot refused.

Pearl thought Peridot's response was fine, but she wasn't sure how Steven would react to it.

Steven looked back up to Peridot. "That's fine, I guess." He said with a small shrug.

Peridot didn't reply, looking a bit annoyed and overwhelmed.

Pearl watched as Steven shrugged it off, but she could tell that Steven was disappointed. She also noticed that Peridot looked overwhelmed and frustrated. She was probably not used to dealing with a five year old.

Peridot hesitated. "I just... don't feel like playing right now." She said quietly.

Steven smiled a bit, with a small nod, before looking down to his teddy bear again.

Pearl observed Peridot's response. She saw that Steven seemed to accept her answer, which was good at least.

Pearl wanted to comfort Peridot, since she was so overwhelmed. She felt as if Peridot did not want to play with Steven because she didn't want to deal with someone who was acting so excitable and loud. Pearl felt as if Peridot was uncomfortable around Steven.

Either way, Peridot was settling in easily so far. The plan was to take things slowly, that was going well as of right now. Pearl knew that if she didn't like something, then she would show it.

Peridot seemed to be okay with everyone. She had met everyone, except Pearl had not yet seen Peridot interact with Garnet or Amethyst yet, which was unusual for her, since she had seen Peridot around them already. Garnet and Amethyst could be overbearing and intimidating at times, so perhaps Peridot had not interacted much with those two.

In fact, Peridot hasn't met Amethyst at all yet.

Chapter Text

Amethyst paused in front of the stairs. She really didn't want to go upstairs, but it didn't feel like she had much of a choice. She was hesitant to go up there, but she had to at some point. Amethyst would prefer to stay downstairs and have some time to herself, as she was still feeling anxious and slightly sad.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what's to come next. She didn't like it, but she understood she needed to go upstairs for the betterment of everyone. Perhaps she would feel less negative if she was more open to Peridot being a part of their lives. And Steven was very excited about this, which wasn't something Amethyst would ignore either. At least he was feeling good.

Amethyst slowly walked up the stairs, feeling her anxiousness rise with each step she took. She had to face what was up there, and so she kept going.

"Amethyst!" Pearl said, looking up when she opened Steven and now Peridots bedroom door. "I was wondering when you'd be up here!" 

Peridot looked away from Steven, with wide green eyes, blinking. 

Amethyst looked between Peridot and Pearl, trying not to let either notice how anxious she was feeling. She didn't like being confronted directly. Amethyst didn't reply right away, as she felt uncomfortable with the way Peridot was staring at her. It made her feel self conscious, and she didn't like it.

"Well... I... Um..." Amethyst mumbled.

Peridot continued to glare at Amethyst. 

Pearl noticed, jumping in quickly. "Peridot, this is Amethyst." She said, with a gentle smile. 

Peridot just stared. It was hard for Amethyst to read her expression, it was completely unreadable. 

Amethyst began feeling even more nervous and self conscious, due to the way Peridot was staring at her. It wasn't even a staring that had some kind of expression attached to it; Peridot just looked completely blank. Amethyst couldn't even read her expression, which was unnerving.

Steven innocently looked between the two. His eyes lit up. "Amethyst is fifteen! Isn't that cool?" He said. 

Peridot turned her head, staring at him. 

Pearl glanced at her anxiously.

"Huh?" Amethyst was taken by surprise by Steven's sudden outburst; she hadn't expected him to interrupt in this manner. She felt herself go red, as her anxiety increased even more from the interruption. She tried to stay calm, but it felt like a rush of heat was rising inside of her, giving a tingling sensation that was quite unpleasant.

"Yeah!" Steven said, grinning at Peridot. "She's turning 16 soon!" He said, which was... kind of true?

Peridot looked to Pearl, then to Amethyst, then at the floor again.

Amethyst felt awkward as yet another interruption had occurred, though this one was less distressing. Amethyst didn't know what she could even say about this revelation that Steven said.

"Um... I... I mean..." She fumbled, unable to come up with a single reply for his statement.

Peridot looked to her. "What's with your hair?" 

Amethyst felt her heart stop as Peridot asked a question that suddenly made her feel much more self conscious. Her hair had been one of the things she was anxious about recently, and this was like salt in the wound. Amethyst forced a small, nervous laugh, hiding a more genuine reaction.

"Um, what do you mean?" She asked, though she knew very well what Peridot was actually asking.

Pearl, still not knowing how to react, just waited for a reply. Peridot was acting totally different from when she was interacting with her. 

Peridot crossed her arms, looking at Amethysts hair. "Like... why is it purple?"

Steven looked at Peridot and Amethyst, with a concerned expression.

Amethyst felt herself freezing up yet again. Her hair used to be one of the things she was most confident about, but now people seemed to only be commenting on how weird her hair was. Amethyst forced herself to reply, trying to not seem affected by this question.

"Purple is my favorite color. I... I just wanted to do something different. Is there anything wrong with it?"

Peridot shrugged. 

Before she could reply, Steven intervened. "That's not very nice," he said with a small frown.

"... It isn't," Pearl agreed, quite awkwardly. The personality change was confusing.

Amethyst wasn't used to such a sharp tone from Steven, or Pearl for that matter. She felt herself getting quite overwhelmed by this response to her purple hair. It wasn't even like she was looking for a certain response. She just wanted to know that her hair wasn't something to be frowned upon. She looked away, a little embarrassed by this sudden intervention.

Garnet stepped into the room. Pearl let out a sigh she didn't know she was holding. 

Peridot seemed to lose confidence, ignoring Garnet completely. Garnet glanced at them, trying to figure out why everyone was suddenly quiet.

Amethyst looked to Garnet, hoping she would intervene and help to defuse the awkwardness of the moment. She really just didn't know what to do. She felt too self conscious to talk, or even look up, at this point in time.

"Garnet!" Pearl said, with a nervous chuckle. 

"So, Peri, how do you like the room?" Steven asked, with a smile. 

Peridot looked over to Steven, with a shrug.

Amethyst noticed Steven was trying to defuse the tension again, and decided it was safe enough to look up and speak up again. Perhaps she could use this opportunity to get her mind off of her self-consciousness about her hair. She took a deep breath and replied to Steven.

"Steven, we shouldn't try to force Peridot to talk when she doesn't want to talk." She said, her tone sounding more assured than it previously had.

"Amethyst is right," Garnet said calmly. "Perhaps we should help her get settled in? Steven, you can help get all of her stuffed animals comfortable on her bed." She suggested.

Steven grinned. "Yeah! I'll make sure that they feel nice and comfortable in their new home!" He said excitedly.

Peridot glanced up at him, with a small smile.

Amethyst looked at Garnet, and then back down to Steven and Peridots interaction. She couldn't help but be slightly amused by Steven's enthusiasm for the task.

Amethyst looked back at Garnet, giving a slight smile. "Good idea." She agreed, knowing that this would definitely give Peridot a little space. She was glad they all came up with this plan to comfort Peridot a little, and make her feel accepted into their family.

Amethyst felt herself loosen up slightly when she saw that Peridot seemed more comfortable now, and that Steven seemed happy with the plan they made together. She felt safe enough to look into Peridot's eyes, and that felt good. Though she still couldn't stop herself from noticing how differently Peridot was acting with her versus everyone else in the room.

Pearl smiled. "Great! Peridot, do you need help with anything?" 

Peridot looked up at Pearl, wordlessly shaking her head again. 

Amethyst noticed how Peridots reaction to Pearl was quite different to her reaction to her. Amethyst realized this difference, and was unsure how to interpret it. She felt a bit bad, and maybe even responsible for it, as she had been the one to initially interrupt the conversation. She tried her best to ignore this feeling, however, and turned her gaze towards Garnet.

Garnet seemed to notice that something was off. She pulled her aside, and Steven and Pearl was helping to unpack Peridots stuffed animals.

Amethyst quickly caught onto Garnet's gesture, noticing that she was pulling Amethyst aside to talk with her one-on-one.

"Everything okay?" She asked, looking up at Garnet.

Garnet shrugged. "Is it?"

Amethyst's heart dropped at this response. She had been avoiding thinking about the whole situation, and to have it thrust into her mind by Garnet like this made her feel uncomfortable.

"Uhm.. Is this about Peridot?" Amethyst asked, still looking at Garnet, nervously.

Garnet put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "It's either about her, or you."

Amethyst didn't want to believe it, but Garnet was probably right, which was even more upsetting. Amethyst looked down at the floor, feeling self conscious again.

Garnets voice softened. "Something's been off with you lately. What's been bothering you?"

 Amethyst froze. She honestly didn't feel comfortable opening up to anyone about what had been bothering her lately, but Garnet could tell something was wrong regardless. It was hard enough pretending that everything was okay around everyone else, so she didn't want to have to do it with Garnet too! Amethyst wasn't sure how to respond, and instead she just stood there, looking down, and not saying anything.

Garnet couldn't help but feel a little concerned when Amethyst just kept quiet. She tried to gently nudge Amethyst to speak some more, feeling this was a topic that deserved to be discussed a little deeper.

"It's nothing, I promise. It's just..." Amethyst stopped herself in the middle of her sentence, trying to think of how she was supposed to reply. She didn't want to give anything away, but she also wanted to be honest with Garnet about it.

Garnet sighed. "I know it's something, but I can't figure out what."

Amethyst felt her heart sink lower at this. She hoped that no one would ask her this directly, but of course Garnet did. Amethyst could tell that there was genuine concern from her. She didn't want to make her feel upset, or to give her reasons to worry over what she was feeling.

"I'm just sort of... not feeling my normal self. Things just feel off." Amethyst replied.

That was no surprise for Garnet. "Do you have any idea why?" She asked gently.

"It's just..." Amethyst shrugged, as she was unsure how to phrase it to Garnet. She felt like, to some degree, she had to tiptoe around the issue so as to not worry Garnet even more.

"I just have this gut feeling that I'm doing something wrong, or... I don't know. I just don't feel very good." Amethyst replied, her voice sounding somber.

Garnet couldn't help but notice the somberness in Amethyst's voice, and it concerned her. She decided it made sense to ask a more direct question now.

"Just to be clear, it's only recently you've felt this way, correct?"

Amethyst took a moment to process before answering. She wasn't sure how she wanted to put this into words, so she hesitated. However, she did think Garnet deserved an honest answer.

"Yeah, it's a recent thing. Something's just... off." Amethyst replied.

"... Are you sure?" Garnet inquired, noticing how Amethyst was giving an evasive answer. As always, Garnet could see straight through her.

Amethyst sighed, finally giving in. She gave a small head nod, and looked away, not wanting to meet Garnets eyes as she spoke.

"It's just that... things have been weird lately. I'm feeling really insecure lately, and I dunno... I don't quite know why."

"What's making you feel insecure?" Garnet asked, looking at Amethyst with a soft look on her face. There wasn't any judgment in her tone of voice, only concern.

"I don't really know, in all honesty. It just feels so... sudden." Amethyst replied. Something about Amethyst's demeanor was very unusual. Garnet had never seen this side of her before.

Amethyst looked at the floor, trying to keep herself from breaking out into tears. She really didn't want to think about it, but she was feeling very vulnerable at the moment.

"So you don't quite know yet." Garnet said, understanding in her tone. "... Then maybe you need some time to figure it out."

Amethyst wanted to disagree, or say something else to contradict Garnet about this. But she couldn't; she knew Garnet was probably right.

"Yeah... maybe you're right. I just feel like things haven't really gone the way I expected." Amethyst said, still looking at the floor.

"... Like you feel that everything is going wrong?" Garnet asked. 

"That's exactly it." Amethyst thought to herself. But instead, she just gave an unsure shrug. She didn't want to openly come out and agree with that statement, as she wasn't sure she wanted to admit it was true.

"Maybe... Maybe that's what it is. I'm not sure." Amethyst replied, trying to hide how much the statement actually rang true for her.

Garnet realized that Amethyst was having a hard time being 100% open about this. Garnet knew that Amethyst probably had some underlying insecurities regarding these things that she wasn't ready to talk about. And Garnet understood- even if she could see right through it, it doesn't mean Amethyst was going to be comfortable speaking about it if she was feeling so vulnerable.

"It's okay, you don't have to be sure of anything right now." Garnet said, in a reassuring manner.

Amethyst gave a slight smile at this. Garnet was being very understanding and reassuring this way, and Amethyst felt a bit relieved at this.

"Yeah... I guess I don't." Amethyst said, giving Garnet a small nod. "It just feels weird not knowing why."

Garnet knew that all this probably had Amethyst feeling more stressed and anxious than she already was. Garnet wanted to help her feel better, and maybe even take her mind off of the situation entirely. This caused her to smile wide, and she thought of an idea.

"How about I make us a snack? Would you like that?" Garnet offered.

Amethyst perked up a little at the mention of snacks. Even though she was feeling very stressed at the moment, Amethyst always loved food.

"Ooh, snacks! Yes! I'd love that." Amethyst said, with more energy than she had previously displayed.

Garnet laughed a little bit at this, noticing how quickly Amethyst had brightened up in mood. This made Garnet feel even better; perhaps she was getting through to Amethyst. 

Though Garnet was aware enough to know that this was just a small part of the entire issue, she was glad the mood had lightened at least a little.