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Lapis watched the snow from outside the front barn door with drooping eyes, admiring each of the individual white dots as they slowly drifted to the ground. She found them particularly soothing and fun to watch, a little something to enjoy during winter's wrath. She was currently swathed in the hammock with a thick, heavy blanket up to her shoulders, the gentle, crisp icy wind tickling her face playfully. She stiffled a sneeze, burrowing her face back into the covers with a sigh. Behind her, a busy green gem was working on one of her many contraptions, grumbling as she fumbled with different kinds of wires and gadgets. The smaller gem was always up to something, busying herself with whatever she was working on now, furiously typing on an old computer as she made tweaks to her new project.
Lapis gave another exhausted sigh and let her body relax, sinking into the cloth as she grew more sluggish. Eventually, it all became too much, and she gave in to the pull of sleep at last.
...
"Lazuli?"
A cold finger poked Lapis shoulder, and she flinched from the frigid touch. Outside was dark, and the billowing, freezing wind that wound through the barn was extra unfathomably cold. With a groan, she rolled over to face the small technician, watching her from beneath the covers. "Hm?" She responded, rubbing her worn face with the back of her hand. "Well, uh," the Peridot tapped her two index fingers together nervously, "i-it's really cold, a-and I was wondering if we could share?"
Lapis thought for a minute, confused. "Share?" She asked back, raising a brow and allowing herself to yawn. Peridot nodded. “Yeah, like.. share the.. uh.. hammock?"
The tired water gem frowned and rolled her eyes. "No." She spat, flopping over with a mutter.
“Come on, Lapis, please?" Peridot whined, tugging at the edge of the blanket Lapis was using. "I'm freezing!"
"I said no." Lapis hissed again, agitated. Peridot dismissed her with a sigh. "Fine, you clod." Lapis smirked; a win.
She watched as Peridot turned away, stalking off to the corner of the barn where a tattered old box was propped. She grabbed it with both hands and flipped it over and dropped it, trapping herself inside with a huff. Lapis hid a giggle, amused with her strange behavior as she watched from her cozy position, watching the box intently. Suddenly, it began to tremble, followed by the chattering of teeth.
Her mind split for a moment. She really didn't want to share her personal space with a gem who was once her enemy, but.. she was on earth now, and she had to learn how to forgive and forget, as Steven said.
"Peridot?" Lapis spoke from the darkness. The box lifted and a pair of green eyes peaked from beneath it. "Eh?"
"You can come lay down, I guess.”
Peridot returned a big, goofy smile, which made Lapis blush. She scrabbled out from beneath the tan trash and crept up to the hammock, clawing her way into position as she struggled to get it. Lapis shifted so that she'd have room, still watching her as she finally got in, sliding in close against the blue gem. "Ack!" She squeaked, trying to scoot backwards, but the hammock was too small for anymore space, and she began to teeter off. With a quick flash of her hand, she lashed out and grabbed her behind the shoulder to stop her fall.
The two met eyes for an uncomfortable moment, both of their faces a new shade of color as the noise of the winter storm dimmed for the moment. “Oh, sorry." Lapis murmured hurriedly, looking away bashfully.
"It's uh.. fine." Peridot responded with a pause, retreating into a ball against her as she began to close her eyes.
Lapis stiffened at the cold touch of her skin, but eventually relaxed. She grabbed one end of the blanket and tossed it over Peridot, who happily took it and covered herself.
Lapis flinched as she nuzzled her shoulder with a soft smile, a strange, buzzing sound coming from her throat. Was she purring?
Lapis didn't know, or care. She was getting tired again anyway, and let her heavy eyes close to the soft sound of Peridot's snores.
...
Cicadas buzzed from outside the barn as the summer day came to an end. Lapis was already slumped in her hammock, reading some type of book she had picked up a while ago, lazily flipping through the pages and merely scanning the words. She yawned, setting the book to the side of her with a grin.
Carefully tucked up next to her lay the small green gem, noisily snoring. She couldn’t resist a chuckle. “Remember how this all started?" She inquired.
Peridot shifted slightly, cracking an eye to look out the barn entrance, replying with a tired ‘hmph’.
Lapis smiled. Of course she remembered.