Peridot in Flower Field (Steven Universe, Peridot, F)

[Kalla]

A short Peridot allergies fic! Set after the most recent episodes of Steven Universe before the Fall 2015 hiatus ("Back to the Barn" and "Too Far.") This follows the events of my other Peridot stories but can be read as a standalone fic. Flower Field is a canon location from "Warp Tour."

Summary: Pearl takes advantage of Garnet's absence to schedule some bonding time for the rest of the team, including reluctant new member Peridot. Flower Field was not the best choice of location…

This was conceived as a gen sneezefic but my hand slipped and some amedot (F/F) got in there.
__

With Garnet on another solo mission looking for Malachite, Pearl had gathered Steven, Peridot, and Amethyst together in the kitchen. Steven was politely attentive, Amethyst looked bored, and Peridot had made it clear that whatever Pearl was proposing to do, it wasn't worth leaving the bathroom. The small green Gem had her arms folded across her chest and was scowling as she watched Pearl project an image of an idyllic meadow from her gem.

"I think a visit to Flower Field will be a wonderful activity for all of us to… relax, and get to know what Earth has to offer." Pearl smiled anxiously at Amethyst and Peridot. A team-building journey had seemed like a good idea at the time.

"Yeah I guess," Amethyst shrugged in a uncommitted way as she finished the remains of last night's pizza, box and all. "But why Flower Field, P?"

Pearl looked down as her voice softened. "Rose loved plants. Earth's flora was one of the things she loved most about this planet, that's why the rose vines and flower symbol became her emblem."

"I wish I could learn more about flowers and plants since my mom loved them so much," Steven said in a wistful voice. "It's too bad I can't go with you guys to Flower Field because of my allergies."

"What is 'allergies'?" Peridot sounded suspicious, raising an eyebrow as she turned to look at Steven.

"Well, uh," Steven tried to remember how Connie had explained allergies to him. "It's like my immune system has an extreme reaction when I breathe in pollen from plants, because I'm hypersensitive to it, and then my eyes get all itchy and I can't stop sneezing. It's really awful."

Peridot made a small noise of disgust and winced. "These plants sound dangerous," she remarked.

"Don't worry about the plants, Peridot," Pearl soothed in a knowing voice. "Gems don't have allergies. Not even all humans have allergies, but unfortunately Steven's human father passed on his allergic traits to Steven."

"The perma-fusion isn't here," Peridot allowed as she considered her options, "But I don't think I want to go to this 'Flowers Field' without the Steven."

"I'll protect ya," Amethyst grinned.

Peridot blushed slightly as she smiled at Amethyst. That settled it.

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"Here we are!" Pearl beamed as all three Gems materialized on the Flower Field warp pad. The thin, elegant Gem breathed in the air with a happy sigh. Flower Field was so peaceful, so still, so untroubled by signs of the war.

"Classic Flower Field," Amethyst commented dryly. It wasn't that the purple Gem couldn't appreciate the atmosphere, but she wasn't a nature-lover like Pearl or Rose.

"This Earth terrain is unfamiliar to me," Peridot squinted in the hazy light, taking in the heart-shaped flowers swaying in the gentle breeze. "I have never seen such odd life-forms." The barren Kindergarten and the immediate environs of the temple made up most of Peridot's limited experiences on Earth, and she couldn't help but be intrigued.

"This is a fascinating example of a terrestrial biome," Pearl enthused. "It's a temperate grassland, but the unique rainfall patterns allow for almost continual blooming of the dominant species. You can see the layered strata there, with the taller plants providing a support for emerging racemes."

"I see." Peridot walked toward a nearby bank of flowers that towered over her. "And what do you call-- ahhh HITTCHOO!" An unexpectedly violent and sudden sneeze interrupted her, making Peridot bend slightly at the waist. Her face looked slightly dazed as she inhaled sharply and sneezed again, wet and urgent. "kehhITTTCHOO!"

"Woah-ho-ho," Amethyst laughed. "Peridot, are you getting sick again? What's with all the sneezing Homegirl?"

"I don't know!" Peridot sounded both irritated and alarmed. "I was fine before we left!" Peridot blinked her eyes, which suddenly felt dry and stinging. "The air here feels weird, like it's hard to breathe, and I… huh.. huhhh… ehhhHETTCHOO! ESSHHUU!" Peridot turned away to sneeze desperately, her spray visible in the dewy air.

"Peridot?" Pearl regarded the small Gem with a dumbfounded expression. The Homeworld technician showed every sign of being allergic to pollen, but that couldn't be possible.

"What is-- AHHISHHUU! --what is happening?! EETCHUU! HETTCHUU! ASHHHUUU!" Peridot could barely speak, and after a string of sneezes she gasped for breath before coughing with a dry, barking hack.

"Gems don't have allergies!" Pearl muttered to herself. Amethyst was doubled over with laughter now at the spectacle of Peridot's sneezing fit.

"Uh, maybe Gems don't have allergies, but Peridot sure does!" Amethyst guffawed. "Hey Peri, catch!" Amethyst tossed a puffy yellow mass of flowers in Peridot's direction.

"Amethyst, no!" Pearl yelled, but it was too late. Amethyst's powerful aim had wacked Peridot's squarely in the face, and gold pollen dusted her light green skin as the flowers fell to the ground.

For a moment Peridot clutched her head with one hand as her nose twitched with a sniffle, dainty nostrils quivering with her hitching breath. Her chest heaved, and Peridot's increasingly swollen eyes were partially closed as an expression of stupefied surrender passed over her face.

"AHHISSHHUUU! HASSHHUU! ESHUUUU! ESHUUUU!" Peridot sneezed over and over, barely able to catch her breath before doubling over with a fresh assault.

"Look at her go!" Amethyst cackled. She had seen Peridot with a cold before and she knew how the green Gem took great care to sneeze into the crook of her arm, or into a tissue. Anything to avoid spraying others. But the allergic fit had Peridot sneezing with complete abandon. Peridot seemed incapacitated by the multiple sneezes and her face was a mess of mucus streaming from her nose.

"YOU LIED TO ME!" Peridot screeched. It was hard to tell if the liquid spilling from eyes was from pollen or tears. "I trusted you, and-- EHHISSHUUU! HASHHUUU! HETCHOOO!" Peridot snifffled loudly. "I knew you Crystal clods-- HETTCHUU! were a lousy bunch of… of… AHHHETCHUUU! --bunch of dirt bombs! I hate you!" Peridot coughed forcefully as the post-nasal drip irritated her throat.

"Back to the warp pad!" Pearl commanded. "Go!" She glared at Amethyst. No one could have predicted this turn of events, but Amethyst wasn't helping at all and even now the purple Gem looked inappropriately amused.

"aaHESHHUUU! ESHUUU! I can't see!" Peridot wailed, stumbling as she tried to walk while sneezes continued to wrack her slight little body. Pearl's strong arms caught her shoulders and propelled her forward.

__


Fixing himself a sandwich, Steven was surprised to hear the temple warp pad activating so soon after the Gems had left. He turned to look at the new arrivals.

Pearl looked grimly determined, Amethyst looked sheepish, and Peridot was an absolute mess. Her face was covered with snots and tears, and was she dusted in pollen? Before Steven could get a better look, Peridot jumped off the warp pad and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. A huge sneeze followed by another was only slightly muffled by the closed door.

"Hey, what happened?" Steven was worried now.

"Peridot has allergies Steven!" Pearl almost yelled the words. "A Gem with allergies! How is that even possible?!"

"Really?" Steven knew how Peridot felt, but at least it was something else that they could have in common. "Did she trip and fall into a bunch of flowers?" Steven had observed how Peridot was often clumsy.

"I think Amethyst can explain how Peridot is covered in pollen," Pearl tapped her foot and looked down at the purple Gem.

"Lay off my case, Pearl!" Amethyst threw her hands in the air. "It's bad enough Peridot is mad at me!" Amethyst scowled as she walked past Steven to the bathroom. She leaned against the door.

"Uh, hey, Peri…? I'm really sorry about what I did. I thought it would be a funny joke but I was being a jerk." Amethyst looked at the floor and frowned.

"eehiishhoo! hisshhuu!" Peridot's sneezes could be heard over the sound of running water. "Just go away!" Peridot's voice sounded rough.

"C'mon Peri, I want to make it up to you. Please let me in. Please. I'm sorry." Amethyst's voice shook.

The door cracked open. Amethyst pushed it with a tentative hand and closed it behind her. Peridot was facing the mirror above the sink, her body language stiff and angry. She sniffled loudly.

"You know how much I hate being sick," Peridot began in a low voice. She sounded very stuffy from her recent sneezing fits, and her breathing was still wheezy.

"Yeah, I do know." Amethyst looked down and rubbed the back of her neck with one hand. "I was a jerkass. I shouldn't have done that."

"kisshHHHUUU! ehhisshhuuu!" Peridot sneezed twice before sniffling again, she sounded worn out. Peridot turned on the water in the sink and removed her visor, to Amethyst's surprise. The purple Gem looked on silently as Peridot splashed water on her face.

Peridot looked into the mirror to make eye contact with Amethyst behind her. The purple Gem gasped slightly. Without her visor, Peridot's eyes were a pale neon chartreuse, almost yellow in color. The color was even more electric in contrast to Peridot's red and swollen eyes.

"You have really pretty eyes," Amethyst blushed a deep purple. Peridot glared at her.

"Don't think you can flatter your way out of this," the technician growled with a sniff.

"I promise I won't do it again, I swear. I'm sorry." Amethyst stepped closer to Peridot, reaching out to touch her. Peridot looked away with an annoyed expression but didn't move, allowing Amethyst to stroke her collarbone and neck. Peridot was so pretty, Amethyst thought to herself as she enjoyed the rare look at her without her visor. She looked even more vulnerable with her face completely exposed.

"kttxsshuuu!" Peridot couldn't quite stifle a sneeze. "Ugghh. I feel much better now, but I'm still sneezing." Peridot sniffed loudly. "I don't know when that's going to stop." Her voice sounded stuffed up.

"Steven is usually okay after a few hours," Amethyst offered, slightly disappointed to see Peridot replacing her visor once she had cleaned it and wiped it dry. "He has bad allergies too."

"Hrrm. Just one more charming feature of this cruddy planet." Peridot pursed her lips and turned to looked at Amethyst. "But I forgive you."

Amethyst grinned, feeling a huge burden lifted. "Thanks nerd. I don't want Pearl and you mad at me."

Amethyst thought she saw a faint smile on Peridot's lips before the Homeword Gem sneezed twice. "ihhtshuu! eshhhhuuu!" Peridot's breath hitched raggedly and she gasped for air before the next burst of sneezing. "HETTTTCHUUU! EEHHISSHUU! ESSHHHUU!"

Amethyst passed a tissue box to the green Gem. Tissue boxes tended to accumulate in any room of the house where Peridot spent a lot of time. The Homeworld Gem blew her nose and wiped her messy face. The mucus was clear and thin, but the sheer quantity of it was overwhelming.

"I need to lie down," Peridot said in a breathy voice. "These sneezes are making me feel dizzy."

Amethyst felt a fresh wave of guilt as she draped an arm over Peridot's shoulders. "You look tired, too," Amethyst said gently. "C'mon, let's go to Steven's room. You guys can talk shop about allergies."

Peridot nodded and the two Gems walked out of the bathroom together.

[Hissybella]

That was amazing and sweet and great

I love allergies. and I love Steven universe and I love amedot so this was just fantastic!

Great writing! The characters were spot on. I could totally see this happening.

[Snapdragon]

This is great! I really like the way you write all the Gems and Steven, you've got their voices just right. I especially love Pearl nerding out over plants (and Rose imeanwhat).

Also Amethyst is such a jerk haha! Though she genuinely seems like she didn't mean any malice by her prank with the flowers. Poor Peridot... though her suffering and sneezing is so adorable

[Kalla]

That was amazing and sweet and great

I love allergies. and I love Steven universe and I love amedot so this was just fantastic!

Great writing! The characters were spot on. I could totally see this happening.

Thank you so much! I always appreciate feedback on fanfic that I'm getting the characters' voices right. I'm so glad you love amedot too. I'm so deep in amedot hell I think I could attempt to write a story about Jaime the mailman and it would turn into amedot somehow at this point. I just can't get enough of the relationship dynamic between Peridot and Amethyst and I really hope that they continue to develop that in canon.

This is great! I really like the way you write all the Gems and Steven, you've got their voices just right. I especially love Pearl nerding out over plants (and Rose imeanwhat).

Also Amethyst is such a jerk haha! Though she genuinely seems like she didn't mean any malice by her prank with the flowers. Poor Peridot... though her suffering and sneezing is so adorable

I was worried I made Amethyst maybe a little too much of a jerk (originally she was the antagonist in a gen fic, and then Suddenly Amedot.) But Amethyst has done some pretty rude and clueless things, not unlike Peridot, so hopefully it's plausible.

I agree that Peridot's sneezing and suffering is adorable! Poor helpless little Gem.

[Snapdragon]

I'm so deep in amedot hell I think I could attempt to write a story about Jaime the mailman and it would turn into amedot somehow at this point.

....and now I'm imagining Jaime acting out an Amedot romance scene like something out of the ep "Historical Friction" and playing all the parts himself. It's not pretty

And I think Amethyst's behaviour is pretty consistent with canon! She definitely takes jokes a little too far sometimes, and while that does result in some jerkish behaviour, I think she genuinely cares about people's feelings. (That contradictoriness is just one of the things that makes me like her even more )

[Cyclo]

Another adorable piece! I read this while I was on the train... I was probably smiling like an idiot. Like Hissybella said, you did a fantastic job of keeping everybody in character. I could hear their voices saying everything. If only this could be an actual episode!

I'm so excited to hear that you're going to write something based on my When it Rains suggestion. I love the idea of little Peridot being helpless. She is just too cute.

[Malarkey]

Aw, this is so cute!! Poor Peridot, this planet sure is out to get her! And I loved the amedot you threw in there, I'm really a huge sucker for those two. Their relationship dynamic is so interesting to me, and you got Amethyst's careless-but-then-caring behavior spot on! Thanks so much for sharing!