Barn Medicine (Steven Universe, lapidot)

[Kalla]

When Lapis comes down with a cold, keeping her germs away from her former captor is the least of her concerns. F/F Lapis/Peridot (lapidot)

Author’s Notes: A fic set around the time of Same Old World/Barn Mates (when it is autumn in the world of Steven Universe, with the changing colors of leaves being a plot point in Same Old World… although it instantly becomes summer again in canon because lol what is consistency?) Lapis is currently on good terms with Peridot, but this story explores some of her initial hostility.

In a way this is also a Fix Fic. I really wish that we saw on-screen tension and hostility between Peridot and Lapis being expressed and resolved instead of them becoming instant BFFs.

--

 

Lapis Lazuli felt the need to keep up a happy front around Steven. She truly cared for the half-Gem hybrid, and she didn’t want to worry him. But the truth was, she wasn’t well. She was completely drained after the ordeal with Malachite— and an impromptu flight to Empire City with Steven in tow wasn’t the greatest idea in her depleted state. By the end of it she was starting to feel achy all over, which was a worrisome development to the powerful Gem. In her many thousands of years of existence, she knew that these symptoms manifesting in her projected form could only mean one thing: she was coming down with a bad cold.

“hhIISHHuu!” The wet, urgent sneeze bent her forward, bare feet bracing themselves on the rough floor of the barn.

“Bless you, Lapis!” Steven exclaimed with a look of concern. It was as though just now he was finally looking at the ocean Gem. His gaze took in the darker hue of her prominent nose and the shadows around her dull, tired eyes. Lapis sniffed forcefully with a rattling wetness and cleared her throat. Her throat clearing had become more and more pronounced as the two friends returned to the barn.

“Thanks Steven,” Lapis replied with a smile. “I think I need to rest. I’m feeling a little under the weather–”

“Lazuli! What is the meaning of this unsanitary expulsion?” Peridot strode forward with a scolding countenance. The short-statured green Gem had quickly achieved a level of comfort around her former prisoner that wasn’t reciprocated. From the sleety look in Lapis’ eyes there would be no thaw in their relationship anytime soon.

“Excuse me?”

“The loud discharge of air via your mouth and scent sponge just now. We all heard it!” Peridot seemed to be in good spirits, oblivious to how unwelcome this observation was to her audience. The little Gem was grinning with her hands on her hips.

“Oh, you mean the sneeze?” Steven interjected, stepping forward with an awkward smile as Lapis’ hands balled into fists. “Um, yeah Lapis, you should try to cover your mouth when you sneeze. Pearl always tells me to use my anticular– my antecube– my elbow thingy,” he demonstrated by holding up his arm.

“Hmmph,” Lapis sniffed again, radiating disdain as she looked down at Peridot. A moment later and her sharp gaze drifted away, becoming hazy and unfocused as her eyelids lowered. “Huhh– ” she took an involuntary breath, her nostrils flaring wider as a helpless expression creased her brow.

“hahKSSHHUU! hh– ISSHHuu!” A pair of sneezes this time, full of uninhibited catarrh as she made no effort to cover them, facing the former Homeworld technician. The transition into a dry, barking cough was immediate. Lapis placed a hand to her chest as the urge to cough wracked her slender frame. The tickle in her throat that had been bothering her all evening had finally blossomed into a cough with a hint of deep-seated congestion.

“Uggh! Have you no manners, Lazuli!” Peridot visibly recoiled from this outburst.

“Peridot, be nice to Lapis, she’s not feeling well,” Steven placed himself between the two Gems with a conciliatory smile. “Lapis, you should be resting,” Steven gently took her hand to guide her away from the indignant new member of the Crystal Gems. On her side of the barn there was an arrangement of blankets on top of crates and hay bales to make a perfunctory sort of bed. Steven had made the nest for Lapis to help her recuperate after Garnet had carried her home in a semi-conscious state following the battle with Alexandrite.

“I’ll be back real soon to keep you company,” Steven assured the blue Gem. “But I promised Connie that today I was going to join her for sword-fighting practice. Aww man, that’s her now!” An insistent buzzing from the phone in his pocket prompted him to glance at the screen.

“Peridot’s really trying, just give her the benefit of the doubt. Give her a chance for me, please.” The boy’s eyes were plaintively huge.

“I will, Steven. I promise I’ll take it easy on her,” Lapis rewarded him with a wan smile. This was a familiar line of argument. Peridot had won over Steven’s trust; so why couldn’t Lapis trust her, too? In her exhausted state she didn’t feel like arguing. Better to play along and give Steven peace of mind.

“Get well soon, beach summer fun buddy! I’ll be back as soon as I can!” The young teen was all smiles as he ran to the warp pad. Lapis watched him go with a smile and a gracious wave although she felt a pang of regret to see him leave. It’s not like she had another friend and confidant; but privation and loneliness were familiar to her even if illness was not.

–

Steven was true to his word and made frequent trips to the barn with new supplies for Lapis: boxes of tissues, tea to prepare on the hot plate Peridot had salvaged, a spare down comforter from his own bed. Lapis was always demure and compliant in his presence. She dutifully covered her throaty sneezes and rattling coughs with tissues as she laughed and chatted with Steven. Her sense of humor wasn’t diminished by the heavy cold which had her in its grip.

As soon as Steven left, however, it was a different story. Any attempt at conversation or even assistance from Peridot would be immediately shut down with a stony glare and a frown. Lapis knew she wouldn’t be in the throes of this wretched Earth sickness if it wasn’t for Peridot in the first place. Colds were almost unheard of on Homeworld. But the most dreary and Gem-forsaken outlying colonies were rife with them.

Lapis sat up on her bed and tugged at her heavy blankets. Once again she was uncomfortable. The chills that kept her buried in bed in the morning were replaced by a fever that now had her stripping off blankets and fanning her face. Her head felt woozy and waterlogged, as if she was still being crushed by the weight of Earth’s ocean.

She didn’t need to breath, but somehow she was coughing hard enough to make her sides sore. Lapis’ bare torso was fitfully shaking and expanding with every desperate gulp of air, her ribs prominent as her diaphragm rose and fell. Her uncovered mouth was open slackly, cheeks hollowed and eyes dull as she coughed as hard as she could. The thick congestion in her chest crackled with the effort.

“Lapis? D-do you want some tea? Steven said that would make your throat feel better,” Peridot shivered as she ventured the offer. The autumn winds were fiercer now, and the drafty old barn was becoming less inviting. But the technician was nothing if not firmly determined to be the best of friends with her former prisoner; even if Lapis’ sustained animosity sometimes challenged her resolve.

Lapis grunted hoarsely, which Peridot understood to mean that yes, she did want the tea. Her coughing fits were typically followed by nose blowing, and this one was no exception. The elegant blue Gem filled up several tissues with thick, rattling blows, which she tossed on the beams of the wooden floor as Peridot approached.

“You should use your trash can instead,” Peridot spoke up in an aggrieved tone. Lapis regarded her with a baleful stare before sniffling and sucking in an involuntary breath.

“HAHESSHUU!” A throat-clearing blast of a sneeze was directed at the petite mechanic who squealed and nearly dropped the mug of tea. A second sneeze followed. In the cool autumn air the spray was visible as a cloud of coarse mist, and Lapis’ nose was a darker shade of blue, her nostrils raw and tender. She coughed with a phlegmy bark as Peridot gingerly set down the mug and retreated as far away as politeness could allow.

“You know, I’ve been sick on this miserable rock, too.” Peridot wouldn’t stop with the attempts at conversation. “It wasn’t easy with those Crystal Cl– I mean Gems after me at the same time.”

This at least got some reaction. A ghost of a smile from Lapis before she coughed and blew her nose again.

“But you’re one of them now,” Lapis’ voice was a raspy croak. “Even though they made you live in a barn. With me.”

“I’m– I’m here to repair the barn!” Peridot sputtered. “From the damage I caused with my giant robot!” She gestured with one arm to the hole in the wall, draped with a tarp and surrounded by scaffolding. “I’m here to make things right because I’m a Crystal Gem now, and I’m taking personal responsibility for times when I had– different goals and ideologies.” A blue flush colored her cheeks.

“And as for you, I’ve already apologized, didn’t I?” Peridot’s voice was rising. “I’m getting you your stupid cruddy tea, and being very nice to you when you do nothing all day except mope around and cough and sneeze!”

Lapis was coughing again, but more from incredulous amusement. Her laughter had a ragged edge of bronchial congestion . Everything about her cold was heavy and wet. The endless coughing and harsh sneezes made her voice a hoarse whisper as she spoke.

“The Crystal Gems can’t even take care of their own, and that’s all they care about.” The mirror Gem grated out . The was a smug, triumphant look on her face for a lingering moment before her brows lifted and her eyes squinted with the prelude to another sneeze.

“ihhh– haishuuu!” Her body curled up with the reflexive expulsion before Lapis flopped back down with a husky moan. She couldn’t even properly enjoy her digs at Peridot.

 

–

 

The water-winged Gem was an agreeable angel again, with Steven at the barn doting on her. The young half-Gem was sharing videos on his phone with Lapis, who laughed and laughed and muffled the inevitable coughing fits as best as she could with a clutch of tissues over her mouth. Her eyes were streaming.

“I knew you’d like that one,” Steven grinned, feeling very pleased with himself. “The best part is the look on the guy’s face! Even after the first booby trap, he still had no clue.”

“hihttchuu!” A stuffy sneeze from near the opposite end of the large open space caught Steven’s attention, and he looked up in time to catch Peridot’s narrow shoulders shaking as she turned away. A racking snuffle was followed by her dragging an arm across her face as she plodded off, preparing to climb up the scaffolding and work on the barn repairs again. The crude Earth architecture was taxing to rehabilitate, and the technician was at her wit’s end with no more robonoids assisting her with the drudge work.

“Hold on Lapis,” Steven touched her arm lightly. “I need to see how Peri is doing.”

A few long strides of his stocky legs and Steven was in Peridot’s work area. It was taking her a preternaturally long time to tap in a nail securing a board, and she grumbled and cursed as her small hands trembled with the strain.

“What’s up, Dot?”

“Ah, Steven. Now that you’re here, you can hold this up for me. I need just the right angle or this is never going to work– ” her voice faded out on a hoarse crack that dissolved into a cough, and the green Gem cleared her throat with effort.

“Peridot, you don’t sound too good. I mean, you don’t sound well,” Steven corrected himself. “I still don’t really understand how Gems get sick, but I think you’re coming down with whatever Lapis has.”

“A reasonable conclusion,” Peridot replied, her consonants sounding thick and muddled. She sniffled again and regarded Steven with bleary eyes. Her pointed nose had the raw, chapped look that always accompanied her illnesses. Steven had noticed Peridot fighting off a cold a few times even when she was still trying to kill him (or so she claimed; she was a lousy shot.) He would always plead with the other Crystal Gems to take it easy on poor Peridot who clearly wasn’t feeling her best. Somehow this argument never worked, although he thought he saw Amethyst going easy on her with the whip.

“Awww Peridot, now you’re sick too! This is all my fault; I should have asked Connie’s advice. She knows about all kinds of medical stuff that I don’t.” Steven seemed to deflate as his shoulders slumped.

“Really Steven, this is a minor nuisance at most,” Peridot cleared her throat. Her hair was a bit frazzled but she pulled herself up to her full height with a dignified mien. “As you know, we peridots don’t poof easily. We’re durable and skilled workers; and even if this ‘cold’ is making it difficult for me to maintain my keen mental focus, I have the resources to stay on task. I won’t be sidetrahh– hahh– ihhTSSHHuuu!” Peridot stumbled forward with the sneeze, making a valiant if not completely successful attempt to contain the spray in her antecubital fossa. She placed a fist over her mouth and turned away for the coda of rattling coughs.

“Ahem. As I was saying, a minor nuisance,” Peridot croaked the words with watering eyes.

 

–

 

It took all of Steven’s diplomatic finesse, but finally Lapis and Peridot were sharing the same nest of pillows and blankets. Peridot’s eyes were shining and she ignored Lapis’ hostile body language to lightly grasp one of the blue Gem’s slender upper arms. Her touch was equal parts possessive and protective. Lapis, for her part, looked crossly at the wall in the opposite direction of Peridot’s face, feigning great interest in the scattered artifacts of Greg’s ancestors.

“Awww, look at you guys!” Steven fussed over his handiwork. “You’re like two peas in a pod! You guys are sick buddies now, but soon you’ll be… get-better buddies!” Peridot looked delighted at the flourish of Steven’s outstretched arms; Lapis gave him a tight smile. Steven had that starry-eyed look of being completely enraptured as he watched Peridot attempt to nestle closer to Lapis. This was not lost on Lapis herself, who found this underhanded attempt to force her to accept Peridot’s entreaties distasteful. Steven was her only friend; but he was dreadfully idealistic and naive.

Lapis was biding her time while Steven prepared tea with honey for the two Gems. He felt it necessary to bring them up to speed on the latest projects and foibles of Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl. Of course Peridot would draw out the process by peppering him with questions; as if the poor brainwashed fool genuinely believed herself to be a Crystal Gem. Lapis glared at her ridiculous tetrahedron of hair. Now and then Steven would catch her doing it and telegraph a look of pained disappointment that shamed the haughty water Gem. She didn’t think she had it in her to forgive Peridot, but she didn’t want Steven to look at her that way, either.

“So, are you going to be okay if I leave?” At last Steven was preparing to leave them alone. His hopeful gaze rested on Lapis in a meaningful way. “Lapis, are you okay?”

“I’ve seen better days. But yeah, I’ll be okay.” Lapis tried to look upbeat while carefully extricating herself from Peridot’s embrace. The little brat was now angling to hug her and no amount of sharp elbows and knees under the blankets was dissuading her.

“Take care of Peridot, she needs the rest . And Peridot, you take good care of Lapis, too. Let her have space when she needs it.” Steven beamed as Peridot nodded her acquiescence. The green Gem cuddled into her blankets as if preparing for sleep. It wasn’t a normal or natural course of action for a being made out of light, but it always seemed to convince Steven that all was well. Peridot cracked her eyes open again once she heard the distant sound of the warp pad outside the barn.

“Lazuli– I… I’m sorry,” Peridot cringed away. She knew she was pushing her luck with Steven present, but Lapis’ bodily warmth was too inviting to resist. Peridot was the type to actually feel cold when she had a cold, shivering and shaking and piling on her heaviest appearance modifiers. It felt nice to be cuddled close to Lapis Lazuli. Who for whatever reason was really hung up on the prisoner/informant thing and wouldn’t accept Peridot’s most sincere apologies. Peridot just didn’t understand it. Couldn’t the Lazuli see that she had changed?

The regal blue Gem looked hard at Peridot. It was satisfying to see her cower and shrink, but Lapis was tired. Peridot was an oaf, a would-be tyrant, an officious lackey of Yellow Diamond— now an improbable Crystal Gem. Lapis couldn’t even begin to sort out of transgressions and failings of the miserable, shivering creature with a runny nose who looked up at her with fearful eyes. She was so pitiful it was discomfiting, and Lapis scowled in annoyance.

“Where are you going?” Lapis said roughly as Peridot gathered up a blanket.

“I thought I’d give you – space,” Peridot began awkwardly, looking down at her hands as they clutched the blanket.

“You want to be warm, don’t you?” Lapis regretted the stern tone of her rasping voice, and perhaps that compelled her to add, “Come back over here… get-better buddy.”

The change in Peridot’s demeanor was immediate and profound. She clasped her hands together as her eyes grew large and shiny behind her visor. Lapis was suddenly alarmed that Peridot might start crying, from the way her lips wobbled with emotion, but the smile on her face was affecting with its look of pure joy. The ocean Gem was resolved to quash the idea springing up in her brain that Peridot might be cute.

“Don’t get any ideas about taking my blankets,” Lapis turned away as she coughed. Her eyes widened in surprise as she felt Peridot slipping an arm around her body. The soft touch wasn’t entirely unwelcome.

“Is it okay if I do this?” Peridot hesitated with a wet sniffle. Lapis was being much nicer tonight, but her mercurial moods could change quickly.

“It’s fine.” Lapis managed a smile. Very carefully, she draped an arm around Peridot’s shoulders. In her own way she was signaling her acceptance of the smaller Gem’s apology. Lapis would never admit it, but she was also feeling guilty about her treatment of the little technician who wanted so badly to make amends with her.

“hiihtssshuu!” Peridot rocked forward with a sneeze, tissue already poised in her hands. Lapis felt a strange tumult of emotions, watching her blow her nose and clear her throat. Seeing Peridot without her limb enhancers and authority was one thing; seeing her look supremely vulnerable like this was another thing entirely. She always knew that the technician was weak. One look at her revealed that she wasn’t built for fighting. She lacked resources and capabilities that Lapis took for granted. But the idea that Peridot badly needed protection and care was new to her and slightly disconcerting.

“We’ll get through this together,” Lapis gave her barn-mate an awkward hug with one arm. She felt slightly amused that Steven was rubbing off on her.

“Lazuli, I--” Peridot looked dumbfounded again, a blush rising to her cheeks.

“Lapis, it’s Lapis. ‘Lazuli’ is what I’m called when I’m ordered to terraform a new colony. Much too formal.” There was a sardonic smile on her face.

“Lapis,” Peridot breathed the name reverently as she cuddled into the taller Gem.

[SexyGodlikeHair]

!!!!

 

this is SO CUTE, and fits so well!!! I like the idea of their bonding over mutual sickness, and you delivered it really well! Is it possible that lapis becomes peridot's reluctant semi caretaker soon? With her weaker immune system, it seems like Peridot would be a lot more susceptible to illness...either way, this is great!!!!

[Kalla]

On 3/14/2017 at 2:16 PM, SexyGodlikeHair said:

!!!!

 

this is SO CUTE, and fits so well!!! I like the idea of their bonding over mutual sickness, and you delivered it really well! Is it possible that lapis becomes peridot's reluctant semi caretaker soon? With her weaker immune system, it seems like Peridot would be a lot more susceptible to illness...either way, this is great!!!!

Thank you so much for this reply!! <3 This really brightened my day. I was holding off on responding to you @SexyGodlikeHair because I wanted to make a doodle to illustrate the story, which may still happen but I don't have the energy to do much and I don't want to ignore you.

This is my first writing posted here since July 2016, and my first one-shot posted in well over a year. The lack of responses has been super discouraging and disheartening. I hope at least a few of those views belonged to unregistered readers who enjoyed this, and not 80-something people thinking, "yeahhhh this is crap." ?

I completely agree about Peridot having a weaker immune system! She has the classic Geek Physique, as TV Tropes would put it. Peridot + drafty old barn equals so many possibilities.

[SexyGodlikeHair]

19 hours ago, Kalla said:

Thank you so much for this reply!! <3 This really brightened my day. I was holding off on responding to you @SexyGodlikeHair because I wanted to make a doodle to illustrate the story, which may still happen but I don't have the energy to do much and I don't want to ignore you.

This is my first writing posted here since July 2016, and my first one-shot posted in well over a year. The lack of responses has been super discouraging and disheartening. I hope at least a few of those views belonged to unregistered readers who enjoyed this, and not 80-something people thinking, "yeahhhh this is crap." ?

I completely agree about Peridot having a weaker immune system! She has the classic Geek Physique, as TV Tropes would put it. Peridot + drafty old barn equals so many possibilities.

Don't worry about it!!! I've been in the same boat on both accounts: being so discouraged by lack of comments but also holding off on responding bc I want to make it worth it. 

 

Omg-"geek physique"??? that's actually super funny but also adorable. I'm hooked on this headcanon

[RachTheCool]

I saw this and got excited. I scrolled down to comment and screamed "OMG!!! ITS LONG!"  

[Kalla]

On 3/24/2017 at 3:36 PM, RachTheCool said:

I saw this and got excited. I scrolled down to comment and screamed "OMG!!! ITS LONG!"  

I'm glad you enjoy it! I see you've found my main thread of Peridot-centered one shots (didn't get a notification of your comment), did you see this one?

It's old, so you'd probably have to use Google to search the forum to find it (the unverified member work-around.) I'd send this a PM if you were able to receive them. Promoting my old fics is probably tacky.

[RachTheCool]

1 hour ago, Kalla said:

I'm glad you enjoy it! I see you've found my main thread of Peridot-centered one shots (didn't get a notification of your comment), did you see this one?

It's old, so you'd probably have to use Google to search the forum to find it (the unverified member work-around.) I'd send this a PM if you were able to receive them. Promoting my old fics is probably tacky.

Yeah, I read that one. Still great as always! (I love you)  

I'm not sure how i feel about your headcanon on peridot being the only gem to get allergies. I still loved it, (and i agree with your headcanon about those beautiful eyes hiding underneath those visors) but I don't agree with this one headcanon. Sure, you can say it's extremely rare and unusual for her to get allergies, but gems being inable to get allergies, however, weakling peridot does? I don't know....

 

Sorry about the negative response. It was still great and i love you, but i just think that. Thats all the bad things i have to say about your fics and you at all, once again, I love you.

[TheFetishPony]

I like this story. It's really well-written.

[Secret Sneezer]

I love this! I adore lapidot, and this is a great tribute to it!

[Kalla]

@TheFetishPony and @ihazakitty thank so much for your kind words! I'm not really here these days and it was wonderful to see your nice feedback in my notifications. I know most content on this forum doesn't get much a response but it was very validating to see that you liked my story. tbh I have given up on fetish writing.

[RachTheCool]

42 minutes ago, Kalla said:

@TheFetishPony and @ihazakitty thank so much for your kind words! I'm not really here these days and it was wonderful to see your nice feedback in my notifications. I know most content on this forum doesn't get much a response but it was very validating to see that you liked my story. tbh I have given up on fetish writing.

NOOOOOOO!!! tell me this isnt true! This is a dream! KALLA ISN'T GONE KALLA ISN'T GONE!!!  

*starts making "Kalla must stay" T-shirts*

(To be honest, If it benifets you to stop writing, im 100% on your side for this but you are an amzing writer and I love your works and half the steven universe fandom can agree)

[Secret Sneezer]

21 hours ago, Kalla said:

@TheFetishPony and @ihazakitty thank so much for your kind words! I'm not really here these days and it was wonderful to see your nice feedback in my notifications. I know most content on this forum doesn't get much a response but it was very validating to see that you liked my story. tbh I have given up on fetish writing.

Oh it's no problem! I'm glad that you contributed as you wanted too, and you shall always be a good writer to me, no matter what you write!