Chapter Text
Jasper sighed as she donned her green work apron as her shift started, looking over to see Amethyst fast asleep at the break room table. Groaning, she made her way over to her coworker, nudging her on the shoulder.
"Amethyst, get up," Jasper called, "break's over. Come on."
The small Venezuelan girl lifted her head, blinking and shaking her dyed-purple hair out of her eyes.
"Oh, mierda," Amethyst cursed in her native tongue, standing up and stretching.
"Don't be so melodramatic, baixinha," Jasper teased. "Come on, Pearl is gonna be here soon."
"Shit, what time is it?" Amethyst groaned, pulling her apron on and following Jasper behind the counter.
"Almost three. That's when she gets here, right?"
"Right on the dot."
"Do we really have to do this right now?" Peridot drawled as her and Pearl driving into the lot of the local coffee joint. She sulked in the passenger side, arms crossed over her chest in a pout. "I was in the middle of a very important gaming session!"
Pearl merely rolled her eyes, putting the car in park before cutting the engine.
"Oh c’mon, Peri. I know you love your games but this will be good for you! You need to get out of the virtual world sometimes..." She gave her friend a subtle smirk that was instantly matched with a scoff. "And besides, I offered to buy you a cup of coffee didn't I? I know how much you love coffee."
Peridot, still less than thrilled to have been taken away from her beloved video games, sighed and unlocked her door before stepping outside.
"Okay fine...but if my crew dies while I'm gone, you and Amethyst owe me more than just a cup of coffee..."
Pearl chuckled and agreed to the little deal as she out of the car as well, almost skipping to the entrance of the coffee shop with Peri close behind, mindful of her slower pace due to her prosthetics.
The two employees stood behind the counter, Jasper absentmindedly cleaning the counter, Amethyst waiting impatiently. They both looked up as the bell attached to the door dinged.
Inside, the warm aroma of coffee beans filled Peridot's nose. She breathed in contently, watching as Pearl made a bee line for the short Venezuelan known as Amethyst.
"Hey, babe!" Amethyst greeted Pearl enthusiastically, shooting Jasper a look that said 'take over real quick' as she hurried around the counter to greet her girlfriend. Jasper huffed but nodded, moving to take the order of next in line.
"Welcome to Homeworld Brew, can I take your ord..." Jasper's greeting drifted off as she took in the girl in front of her. Short, petite but with an ass to die for, freckles sprinkled over pale skin, dark green eyes behind thick-rimmed glasses, and a cloud of downy blonde hair.
Holy fuck.
Jasper felt her cheeks heat up in a blush as she stared at the gorgeous woman in front of her. Stars, she was so gay. And the girl had on a Legend of Zelda shirt--score, Jasper loved nerdy types. Her mouth opened and closed a few times.
"Ahem--welcome to Homeworld Brew, can I take your order?" Jasper eventually found her voice once more.
Peridot had her eyes locked on the pastry counter as she approached the front of the line, ignoring the way her two friends were practically making out in her peripheral vision.
"Can I get a, uh-" finally looking up, the short girl couldn't help the blush that dusted her entire face. The woman in front of her was absolutely breath taking. Thick hair fell over her shoulders, and vitiligo blotched her dark skin--impossibly unique.
Peridot's brain short circuited.
Fuck! Why didn't she bother to dress better today? Pearl had dragged her from the middle of a gaming session, and oh god, did she have Dorito stains on her shirt?
Swallowing hard, Peri finally composed herself. "H-hi...uh...I’ll take a l-large black coffee with a shot of vanilla please...oh, and a blueberry muffin."
Jasper typed in the order, then grabbed a large cup.
"Can I get a name for the order?" Jasper asked, grabbing a marker. Her confidence returned, and she looked up to wink. "Other than beautiful, that is."
God, was that too cheesy? Did this girl think she was trying too hard? She swallowed her fears and maintained eye contact as best she could.
Peridot's face just grew even redder. Was...was she being flirted with? No...no, surely this gorgeous Amazonian of a woman was just being friendly...maybe she was having a good day at work?
Clearing her throat, Peri tried her damnedest to remain cool, forcing a small chuckle from the compliment before placing her hands casually in the pockets of her jean shorts.
"P-Peridot. Or, ya know, Peri...or Dot I mean it's your choice, a-any of those work, they're all technically names of mine I guess!"
Ugh. Ughhhh!
Peridot wanted to hide under a bag after that. Why was she such an awkward dork?
"Peri it is," Jasper chuckled, writing it on the cup, "that's a really cute name. I'm Jasper, by the way."
Jasper winked at the flustered girl before turning away to get a blueberry muffin. She set it on a plate and placed it on the counter for Peridot.
"So, do you go to the university?" Jasper attempted to make small talk. The shop was empty besides her, Peridot, and Pearl and Amethyst essentially dry humping against the counter to her right. Jasper was used to this and ignored them. Stars, Peridot was cute. The way her cheeks flushed after she spoke was fucking precious. Jasper immediately felt a pull towards the short girl--and stars, was she short! Probably barely over 5 feet, compared to Jasper's 6'2". It was adorable.
"T-thanks hah..." Adjusting her less than straight glasses, Peridot finally manage to tone down the heat that had settled in her cheeks only to have it come back full force when she saw that wink flashed in her direction.
Jasper.
Peridot let it roll off her tongue. Gods what a cool name. And It felt so right saying it too...was that weird?
"Um y-yeah I do, actually. I'm majoring in bio engineering...how about you?" Peridot craned her head up to look at Jasper as she asked, realizing she was more talking to her enormous chest area than her actual face. Lord she was tall...and muscular too. Fuck, she could probably bench press Peridot if she wanted to...Hnngh.
"Yeah, I'm going for physical therapist," Jasper replied, beginning to make Peridot's coffee. "I work over at Diamond Gym as a personal trainer and a semi-professional boxer, though, so I'm only going part-time right now."
Jasper looked up as Peridot's coffee brewed, smiling and leaning on the counter top with easy grace.
"What year are you, Peri?" Jasper asked, making sure to say her name so she could remember it. It was a nice name, Jasper thought, befitting the girl's green eyes.
"Really? That's so cool." Peridot felt the anxious fluttering in her stomach ease the more they talked, a genuine smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Jasper was, well, surprisingly easy to talk to. After getting over the initial shock of how fucking hot she was, that is.
"How long have you been doing that? The personal training thing I mean. O-oh and I'm a sophomore..."
"I've been a personal trainer since I was 18," Jasper told her. "So only a couple years. I'm technically a junior, but since I'm part time, I'll probably be graduating with your class."
Jasper felt her cheeks warm up slightly at the sight of Peridot's smile. She was really fucking gorgeous when she smiled.
Peridot's coffee beeped when it was done, and Jasper turned away to prepare it the way she wanted. After a quick moment of debate, Jasper scrawled her number and 'call me' on the cup, signed her name, and added a heart at the end. She knew she was being overly optimistic, but Peridot was so cute that she had to take a chance. A horrible thought suddenly hit her; what if she was straight?
"So, Peri," Jasper said casually, sliding the coffee across the counter. "Are you in any clubs? What do you like to do?"
Jasper hoped that Peridot was maybe in some club that might hint at her orientation, or maybe she liked to go to Rapture, the gay bar down the road that let in any LGBT person over 18. Stars, Jasper hoped Peridot was gay…
Peridot took the cup of coffee in her hands, letting the warmth soak through the sleeves and into her palms. She hadn't noticed Jasper's number written on it yet, and when she had asked what she liked to do she kinda froze. Peridot was a nerd. A huge one. There wasn't much besides video games or creating her own robots that she liked, what if Jasper wasn't even into that?
Then it hit Peri as well. Why was she even worrying about this? What if she was right before and Jasper was just being nice? What if she wasn't into her like that? Or girls in general?
Though she found it somewhat unlikely, since her 'gaydar' was usually pretty fucking accurate, she didn't want to just assume something like that...
"Um...I'm not really in any clubs heh..." She started, "I mostly play video games, fix computers and such, watch movies. Every once in a while I go to bars though...there's uh...one downtown that's pretty cool..." Peridot was hesitant, but best case scenario Jasper knew of the club she was referring to and was just as gay as she was, or she was straight and never even heard of it. Win-win, and Peri didn't have to feel embarrassed.
"That's really cool!" Jasper asked, jumping on the last sentence, "You're not talking about Rapture, are you? I go there all the time!"
There was a definite note of excitement in Jasper's voice as she said this, anxious to hear Peridot confirm or deny the gay bar. She leaned across the counter slightly in her excitement, shortening her height to a more manageable under-six-feet. Her yellowish hazel eyes were wide with anticipation.
When Jasper mentioned Rapture, she could have sworn a fucking rainbow and fireworks danced above her head. She beamed in excitement.
“Y-yeah actually! It's a pretty cool place."
Peridot's green eyes searched Jasper's excitedly, oh wow...she had gorgeous eyes. And God that smile...Peri had to use every piece of will power she had not to just lean over the counter and kiss this beautiful stranger.
"No way!" Jasper exclaimed, smiling. "We have to go sometime!"
Holy shit, Jasper couldn't believe that this adorable girl was gay. It was like her prayers had been answered. She could have jumped up and down with excitement.
"Oh, by the way, your shirt is super cool! Do you play Legend of Zelda much?" Jasper asked, hoping to get to know Peridot better.
"Oh y-yeah totally!" she beamed excitedly, "and yes I'm uh, a bit of a video game nerd." Peridot chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of her neck. "Legend of Zelda has been one of my favorite games since I was a kid."
"Me too!" Jasper replied, beaming. "I love it; it was what got me into gaming in the first place!"
Jasper could hardly believe it. A beautiful gay girl? Right in front of her? Maybe even flirting with her?
"You said you're a sophomore, right?" Jasper clarified. "Do you live off-campus, then?"
Peridot couldn't believe her luck. Stars, maybe there was a god after all, because this kind of thing could never happen to her otherwise.
"Same here! And yup, I'm a sophomore. I live just a block or two away from campus actually!"
Jasper saw Pearl and Amethyst sneak off to the employee break room and rolled her eyes. She had a feeling she knew what they were doing, and the loud 'click' of the door being locked confirmed it, along with the music that suddenly started.
"Just ignore those two," Jasper laughed, walking around the counter to sit at the bar, gesturing to the seat beside her. "It must be nice living so close to campus. Do you have roommates, or do you live alone?"
The tall woman attempted to ignore the fact that her best friend was banging her girlfriend in the next room, and hoped that Amethyst would at least use disinfectant spray afterwards.
"Well, it's just me and Pearl really. Ame lives on campus, and Pearl spends the night over there pretty frequently so I guess you could say I live alone." Peridot chuckled and sat by the bar, trying desperately to ignore the awkward moans coming from the brake room. Did those two have no shame?
"How about you? Live with anyone?"
"Nope," Jasper shook her head. "I do alright working here and at the gym so I managed to grab a little apartment by myself."
Jasper ran her hand through her shock of blonde hair and chuckled.
"Well, I do have a cat. His name is Lion," Jasper added. "He's really fat and furry and I'm pretty sure he only loves me because I feed him."
"That's so cute," Peridot chuckled, "I wish I could have a cat. I'm kind of allergic though."
"Oh," Jasper visibly deflated at this fact. "How allergic? Like, too allergic to come over and play video games some time?"
What the hell? Why had Jasper just said that? Her and her big mouth! God, she probably just scared Peridot away forever.
"I-if you want to, that is!" Jasper quickly amended. She hid her blushing face by leaning over to grab Peridot's muffin, sliding the plate over to the girl with the pretense of reminding her it was there.
Peridot blinked, taken aback by the sudden invitation. Oh stars...what Jasper asking her out on a video game date? And she seemed so flustered about it! How cute!
"N-no, it's just a very mild allergy," she reassured, a soft chuckle leaving her. She rubbed her arm and glanced at Jasper sheepishly. "So y-yeah...I'd love to come over and play games sometime."
Jasper nearly beamed. Peridot was interested? Even after Jasper had just put her foot in her mouth?
"Awesome," Jasper breathed, staring into Peridot's eyes. They were the prettiest shade of green she'd ever seen, and seemed to shine whenever Peridot talked about something she liked.
"So, I get off at eight tonight," Jasper started, running a hand through her platinum mane. "If you wanted, we could go grab a couple drinks at Rapture."
Peridot smiled warmly.
"Yeah that be awesome! So um, I can meet you there at around nine then?" she asked, sounding hopeful.
"Yeah! I actually don't live too far from it, if you'd like to park at my place and walk. I don't know how crowded the place will be on a Friday night," Jasper offered, trying to not come off as a total creep. "It's only a ten-minute walk. Plus, I don't know if you'll be okay to drive after. You do look like a lightweight."
Jasper laughed as she teased Peridot, throwing her head back and showing off sharp, white teeth.
Peridot shot her a playful glare.
"Oh, I seem like a lightweight?" she retorted as she her arms over her chest, "I'll have you know I could probably out drink you any day."
That was a lie. Jasper's assumptions were very much true, Peridot sucked at handling her liquor! But could she risk a chance of seeming uncool to Jasper? Of course not...
"Oh?" Jasper teased, leaning closer. "Does that mean you DON'T want to meet me at my place and walk to the bar together?"
Jasper plucked a piece of muffin from Peridot’s plate, popped it into her mouth, and grinned. She could tell Peridot was bluffing, and thought it was adorable that she was trying to impress her.
"I..." Peridot could feel her gay little heart skip a beat as Jasper smirked around the piece of stolen muffin in her mouth. Those teeth, those lips. Anyone else who would have dared to steal some of her food would be missing a limb, but Peridot was quickly coming to the conclusion that she was more than okay with Jasper taking anything she damn well pleased... "Do you think would be able to show your face at Rapture once I beat your ass at video games?"
"And when would we be playing this game, hmm?" Jasper teased, ruffling her hair and looking down at Peri with sparkling eyes.
Brain short circuiting, the smaller of the girls blushed as she cleared her throat and tried to compose herself.
“Well...I was just hypothetically saying that if we hypothetically happen to be over your house playing video games that I’d hypothetically kick your ass..." She finished with a smirk, trying to mask the red that was still in her cheeks.
"Is that so?" Jasper raised one perfect eyebrow. "And what makes you think that you'd actually be able to focus on the game? I'm pretty good at distracting people...especially pretty girls."
Jasper reached forward and brushed a lock of Peridot's blonde hair away from her face, her fingers lingering on her cheek, warm from the girl's blush. Their faces were rather close for a casual conversation, yet Jasper found the proximity thrilling.
"W-well lucky I'm not one to get distracted easily..."
Peridot was trying so hard not to lose her god damn mind. She remained fairly calm on the outside, but gods on the inside her entire body was short circuiting like a laptop that someone spelled coffee all over.
The blush on Peri's cheeks deepened at the close proximity of her and Jasper, her eyes locked with the ones in front of her. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest, and she was honestly debating on reaching over and just making out with this gorgeous woman.
Jasper leaned one arm on the counter, glancing around to confirm that the shop was empty. It was nice, she decided, to be able to sit next to a pretty girl at the breakfast bar and just shoot the breeze...if you could call their blatant flirting that.
"You sure about that, Peri?" Jasper murmured, her voice low and husky. She leaned in even closer, thankful she had decided to come around the counter to sit with Peridot. Her hand slinked over to settle on Peridot's thigh, warm and heavy.
"I-I....uh...." Peridot swallowed against the thickness against her throat. Jasper's hand on her thigh made her feel like the world was right. All her bills were paid, world hunger was stopped, global warming was over.
But then, just as quickly, life went back to being the worst.
Far too deep into thinking about how much she wanted to get into Jasper's pants, Peridot was paying absolutely no attention to the fact that her ass had wandered too far toward the edge of the seat, and she all but fell out of the chair moments later with a yelp.
This was it.
This was the moment Peridot decided she wanted to die.
Jasper watched Peridot begin to fall as if in slow motion. Instantly, her boxing-born reflexes kicked in, and she was on her feet in a snap, arms outstretched, catching Peridot. The girl landed unharmed in her grasp, bridal-style, like one of those cheesy romance movies. Jasper stared straight into her face, taking in the way that she was leaning over her, arms wrapped around her little body, faces inches apart.
Peridot's eyes grew wide before screwing shut, body growing ridged as she braced for impact only to be confused when she didn't feel anything but warm arms around her. She cracked an eye open slow, as if worried that her doing so would trigger some sort of repressed pain. When it didn't, however, both eyes shot open as they were met with Jasper's, an undeniable smugness glinting in them.
"Falling for me already?" Jasper smirked after a moment, golden eyes boring into Peridot's green ones.
Was this really even happening? Peridot had to be dreaming...or dead. That would explain the heavenly glow above Jasper's head and the weird way her hair seemed to be blowing in a non-existent wind.
"U-uh...." Peri's brain short circuited again as she tried to find her words, her entire face red, and glasses askew--they hung completely off the right side of her face. "N-nice catch......"
"Relax, I gotcha," Jasper murmured, reaching up to fix Peridot's glasses. She thought it was adorable, the way Peridot's cheeks were aflame with blush, and her eyes were wide with surprise and embarrassment. "So, do you normally fall for girls you just met?"
Jasper's eyes danced with amusement as she teased the other girl again. Her smile was more of a smirk, really, one side pulled up higher than the other, showing off pearly white teeth. She carefully pulled them both up and sat Peridot back on the stool with her back facing the bar. Jasper stood directly in front of her on the pretense of making sure she didn't fall again; her hands rested on Peridot's thighs, just above her knees.
Peridot only grew more flustered at Jasper's flirtatious little comments, cheeks puffing out like a bratty little kid who wanted to argue but couldn't find the right words to do so.
"H-hardly..." she swallowed thickly, clearing her throat as she tried to compose herself. She glanced down as Jasper's hands settled on her thighs, warm and comforting. And although she didn't mind them there, part of Peridot couldn't help that strange anxious feeling she got whenever someone was so close to her prosthetics. Having lost her legs from the knee down from that car accident all those years ago, she had come more than accustomed to it. But there were still people who found it unsettling. Jasper didn't seem to be one of these people...but then again there was part of Peridot that ignorantly hoped that was because she somehow magically didn't notice.
"Do you make it a point to sweep complete strangers off their feet?" She retorted finally, trying to detour her brain from those thoughts. A tiny smirk of her own played across her lips.
"Only the cute ones," Jasper shot back playfully, grinning. Her thumbs absentmindedly started rubbing circles on Peridot's knees, brushing the top edge of her prosthetics with each pass. Jasper leaned in slightly closer, her long, platinum-blonde mane falling over her shoulders. "So, since you seemed so intent on it earlier, would you like to come over to play video games before or after we go to Rapture? Amethyst and I can close the shop early tonight. I'm sure Barb won't mind, especially when I tell her I'm taking a cute girl out."
Jasper smiled, the kind that squinted her eyes just a bit, and brought out a single dimple on one cheek. Her heart thumped in her chest as she waited for Peridot's reply.
"O-oh yeah um...maybe after? And if you want...I can wait around till your shift is over and we can just leave from here?" Peridot scratched the back of her neck in nervous habit, smiling at her new date. It was crooked and timid, unlike that cool and confident grin Jasper was expressing. Fuck. There were so many things Peri wanted to do with those lips...
"I'd love for you to hang out," Jasper smiled, bringing one hand up to rub the back of her neck. She looked into Peridot's eyes as her laughter died down, letting her hand move to cradle the other girl's cheek.
"I know we just met, but...can I kiss you?" Jasper rasped softly, gently rubbing her thumb over Peridot's cheek.
Peridot's jolted from the contact on her cheek, before just as quickly melting in to the touch. Green eyes never wavered from the golden pair in front of her, and before she knew it Peridot had pulled Jasper down and locked their lips in a meaningful kiss. She tilted her head, eyes drifting closed as she deepened the gesture.
Jasper made a surprised noise in the back of her throat at Peridot's sudden attack, then relaxed into the kiss. Her hand slid around to Peridot's hair, tangling her fingers in the short strands, while her other hand slid up Peridot's leg to rest on her waist.
Even with Peridot on a bar stool, Jasper had to curve her body down to kiss her properly—but she didn't mind one bit. She pressed forward, trying to get as close to the girl as possible. Peridot's lips were soft and warm under hers, and she tasted like coffee and blueberry muffins. Jasper hummed, rolling her tongue over Peridot's bottom lip, sampling her taste.
Peridot couldn't help but melt into the kiss even deeper. Her heart sped up in her chest, and she almost felt light headed. Jasper tasted amazing, and she smelled of roasted coffee beans and caramel.
After a moment, Jasper had to break away to breathe. She stared at Peridot's face as she caught her breath. Peridot had a smattering of freckles, she noted, and smiled tenderly. She was so unbelievably cute.
Suddenly, Jasper noticed that the music had shut off, and looked up quickly. Amethyst and Pearl stood in the doorway of the break room, Pearl's hair still messy, her shirt hanging off one side a bit too much, Amethyst's earlier braid replaced with long, tangled waves. They were both staring at Jasper and Peridot, mouths agape.
"Well," Pearl began after a moment, "I see you two got acquainted."
"At least I didn't bang Peridot in the employee break room," Jasper immediately shot back, blush rising in her cheeks—but she refused to separate from Peridot as she spoke.
Peridot groaned and shielded her face from her two friends, her cheeks tainted with red for the hundredth that afternoon.
"It wasn't what it looked like...." she drawled as she finally turned to meet Pearl and Amethyst's gaze. Her eyes were narrowed defensively and her arms were crossed over her chest. She was never going to hear the end of this one.
"Wasn't what it looked like?" Amethyst repeated, snorting. "So you two weren't mackin' on each other just now for who knows how long?"
"Amethyst, don't be crass," Pearl scolded, then giggled. "Although I fail to see how it could be anything other than what it seemed."
"I told y’all you guys would get along!" Amethyst cackled.
Jasper's cheeks were blushing deep red, and she moved even closer to Peridot, seeking comfort.
"Oh shut up, both of you," Jasper snapped. "It's not like we were fucking right here in the employee break room!"
"Yeah, well, I always told you Pearl was freaky." Amethyst laughed as Pearl turned a bright shade of pink.
"Oh can it, you clods!" Peridot all but hissed, cheeks still fuming with red. She rolled her eyes as she stood from the barstool, though still not really leaving Jasper's side. "Like you two have room to judge. Besides, don't you to have somewhere to be...? Maybe go rub pussy in the broom closet or something..." she said crudely, knowing how much Pearl hated that.
"Peridot! That is obscene!" Pearl nearly shrieked while Amethyst laughed by her side.
"Actually, she's right, Pea," Amethyst looked up at Pearl. "Don't you have class in a few minutes?"
Pearl looked at her watch and gasped. "Oh! It's almost five! I have to go!"
"Isn't your shift over at five, Ame?" Jasper asked. "Why don't you clock out now?" She hoped Amethyst would get the hint and leave her and Peridot alone. The short girl shrugged.
"Yeah man," Amethyst replied, looping an arm around Pearl's waist. She led them back into the break room and appeared a few moments later, sans-apron. She and Pearl started towards the door.
"Have fun, you two," Pearl called over her shoulder as they left. Jasper turned back towards Peridot with a helpless shrug.
Peridot rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.
"They're um...quite the riot huh..." she blushed and cleared her throat awkwardly as Amethyst and Pearl finally left.
"Yeah, they're definitely a handful," Jasper agreed awkwardly, running a hand through her hair and walking over to sit on a cushy love seat by the window. She sighed and leaned her elbows on her knees. "I'm sorry, Peridot. I was too forward, wasn't I?"
"W-what? No, no, no not at all!" Peridot rubbed the back of her neck as she went to sit beside Jasper, "I...I was actually thrilled that you asked me to hang out...especially since I'd be way too chicken to ask you myself." The smaller of the girls blushed and looked elsewhere about the room.
"Really?" Jasper looked up hopefully. "And I didn't scare you off asking for a kiss?"
Jasper sorely wanted to put her arm around the other girl and cuddle her in close, but she waited to hear her response first. After all, Jasper was starting to think that she might really like Peridot, and she didn't want to push too hard.
"Yes, really," she said, glancing at Jasper with a crooked smile. "And considering I was the one who initiated the kiss, I can say that no, no you didn't scare me off." Rubbing her arm with one hand, Peri's placed the other on Jasper's knee, looking at her with a warm grin. She really liked this girl, didn't she?
Jasper smiled back, blushing slightly, before slipping an arm around Peridot's shoulders and pulling her in. She settled the girl against the curve of her body and sighed happily.
"So, Peri," Jasper began, "tell me a little more about yourself. What movies do you like? Or books?"
Peridot hummed as she nestled against Jasper comfortably.
"Well, sci-fi mostly...for both books and movies really. How about you?"
"I like action," Jasper said, rubbing Peridot's arm with her hand. "And a lot of sci-fi and fantasy and thrillers have action in them, so I like those by default. Do you like music?" Peri nodded.
"Mhmm. I really don't go anywhere without my iPod and headphones." She smiled and pulled out the device from her pocket. "How about you? What's your favorite song?"
"Ah, I don't know," Jasper evaded the question. "I like a lot of songs. I don't know if I could choose."
The truth was, Jasper found her favorite song to be embarrassing. Most people made fun of her for it, and she didn't want Peridot thinking she was a walking stereotype.
Peridot quirked a brow. She could tell the other girl was hiding something and smirked.
"Oh come on, everyone has a favorite song!" she urged. "That one that comes on that you just have to blast and sing along to?" She looked at Jasper with a hopeful smile, the kind that made her nose crinkle a little.
Fuck. Peridot was so cute when she smiled like that. Jasper could feel her resolve crumbling.
"Well, what's your favorite, then?" Jasper asked, trying to distract the other.
Peridot scoffed. Not one to be easily distracted she smirked as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"I believe I asked you first."
"C'mon, Peri," Jasper whined, "it's kind of embarrassing...."
"I mean it can't be any worse than mine," Peridot rubbed the back of her neck, chuckling sheepishly as she fumbled with the iPod in her hands. Normally, Peridot never listened to anything that wasn't electronica or dubstep, and prided herself from staying the hell away from any pop sensation garbage...but there was just this one song in particular she found insanely catchy. She never dared to listen to it in front of anyone else, knowing very well she'd never hear the end of it from Pearl or Amethyst.
Sighing, the smaller of the girls unraveled the headphones that were wrapped around the device before offering Jasper a bud, "here."
Pressing play, a soft melody of drums and a female voice played.
"Is this Electric Love?" Jasper asked in surprise, looking down at Peridot. "You don't really strike me as a fan of stuff like this."
Jasper was surprised at the choice. She happened to love this song, actually.
"Well, I guess since you shared yours with me, I have to share a favorite of mine," Jasper sighed dramatically. "I hate to say it, but Jenny by Studio Killers is one of my favorites. I know, I know, it's cheesy."
Peridot hummed along to the song still playing in her ears as she turned to Jasper with an amused smirk.
"Heh, Studio Killers? Really? Oh man, I remember when their album first came out, that was one of my favorite songs!"
"Yeah, I told you it's cheesy. The lesbian liking Jenny."
Jasper's voice was light and teasing as she replied, finding that Peridot's little hums were adorable. She really had it bad, didn't she?
"Yeah, way to give into the stereotypes, Jasper. Next thing you're gonna tell me about your enormous flannel collection, and intense love for snapbacks," Peridot chuckled humorously. She flashed the larger girl a smirk, shining those sharp little canines of hers.
"I-I don't have that many flannels or snapbacks," Jasper muttered, her cheeks turning red. It was true, she had a couple; but not that many! She was more partial to letter jackets from her boxing career, anyways. "Besides, you look like you have a few too many flannels yourself."
Peridot chuckled at the others stammering. God she was so cute when she flustered.
"Relax I'm just teasing you," Peridot chuckled. Of course, poking fun at Jasper about flannel would really be like the pot calling the kettle black. Especially since she was wearing a green one over her Zelda tee right now. "Besides, flannel is the fucking best okay? It's comfortable!"
"You're such a fucking lesbian," Jasper laughed, ruffling Peridot's fluffy blonde hair. It was so cute, the way her face kinda scrunched up when she was snapping something, but then smoothed out as soon as she stopped trying to be sassy. She did have a horrible case of resting bitch face, though. Adorable.
Jasper took this moment to lean down and kiss Peridot softly, almost tenderly, on the scar she sported on her forehead.
"I-hey!" Peridot felt her cheeks heat up as Jasper ruffled her hair. Did she have any idea what maintenance it took to get it to spike just right like that? Growling under her breath, the shorter girl went to swat Jasper's hand away only to freeze as she was suddenly kissed on the forehead. The simple gesture heated her up inside and out, yet she couldn't help the shiver that ran down the length of her spine as well.
"I-I... what was that for, you c-clod..." She stammered, looking at Jasper with wide eyes. Her cheeks were flushed with red, and her bottom lip was trapped between her teeth, a nervous habit she had whenever she was flustered.
"Just thought you looked really pretty, is all," Jasper murmured, reaching forward to gently smooth Peridot's lip away from her sharp little teeth with her thumb.
Jasper's hand remained on Peridot's cheek, her thumb gently running along her cheek. She stared into the other girl's gorgeous green eyes as she leaned forward, closing her eyes just as she pressed their lips together in a tender kiss.
Peridot almost immediately melted into the gesture, her entire body relaxing as she tilted her head into the kiss. Her hand came to where Jasper's was settled on her cheek, placing it on top of hers and pressing it close. Stars she could kiss this woman all day.
Jasper smiled into their kiss, gently biting Peridot's bottom lip with her sharp teeth. Her free hand went to Peridot's hip, pulling her closer.
Suddenly, the bell attached to the door rang, signaling a customer had walked in. Jasper broke away to look up and scowled.
"Dammit, Garnet!" Jasper huffed, standing up with an over-dramatic sigh and going behind the counter. "Why do you always come in at the worst times?"
"Ah. Pearl and Amethyst told me about this," Garnet said in her monotone voice, adjusting her ever-present shades. "I approve."
"Yeah, well, I'm glad I have your approval," Jasper growled as she all but threw Garnet's usual order onto the counter. Garnet calmly laid the correct change on the counter and picked up her coffee and cupcake. She turned to look Peridot up and down. Jasper sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.
Peridot quirked a brow as she was looked over. She would have said something, but this Garnet woman was tall and, although she had a calmness to her, also looked like she could kick her ass eighteen different ways, so she opted to stay silent. Garnet hummed and walked out, disappearing as quickly as she came.
"I'm, uh, who was that?" Peri asked as she scratched at the back of her neck. She turned to Jasper with a subtle smirk parting her lips. Seeing her flustered just never really got old.
"That's Garnet," Jasper sighed, putting the money in the register before heading back over to Peridot. "Pearl, Amethyst, and her all went to high school together. They've known each other for years. I know Garnet from wrestling her back in high school, and she boxes with me now."
Jasper sat down with a huff, dragging her hand down her face.
"She's the one that finally got that Lazuli chick to leave me alone."
"Lazuli...?" Peridot tilted her head. Jasper sounded physically exhausted just saying her name, and it immediately concerned Peridot.
"Who...who was that? If you don't mind me asking."
"Lapis Lazuli," Jasper groaned. She hated that chick; even thinking about her made her angry. "We went on one date, senior year. I immediately knew it wouldn't work, so I stopped contact."
Jasper leaned her elbows on her knees, sighing heavily.
"She didn't. She apparently had some delusion that we were perfect for each other, and stalked me for over a year. She even ended up attacking me; she had some bike chain, I think, and cornered me after graduation. She's small, but she packs a punch."
Jasper laughed humorlessly, rolling up her sleeve to show Peridot the scar on her left bicep, light pink, almost reminiscent of the vitiligo that marred most of her skin.
Peridot's eyes widened considerably. "Oh...oh my god that's awful." Her voice was riddled with shock and disgust as she examined the large scar. Her tiny, pale fingers danced against the skin tenderly, thumb brushing against the length of it. "I'm sorry...does it still hurt?"
"No, not much anymore," Jasper replied, watching Peridot's face. "Sometimes I do get random pains because the chain went deep enough to catch some nerves, but most of the time I forget it's there."
"That Lapis chick was insane...I hope you were able to put her behind bars or something." Peridot felt anger bubble inside her at the thought of anyone hurting Jasper this way.
"I never got to press any charges, but Lazuli almost put me away," Jasper told Peridot, chuckling without an ounce of humor. She looked over at the girl, rolling her sleeve back down and settling back into the couch. "The court system almost believed her story of being the victim, just because she's small and feminine and I'm not."
"That's such shit!" Peridot couldn't help the way her voice raised. She couldn't stand the American court system because of stuff like that. So many abuse cases were swept under the rug when the abuser happened to be some 'sweet feminine girl.' It was utter crap!
"I'm sorry that happened to you..." she said, softly this time. She looked into Jasper's eyes with a genuine sympathy, her smaller hand brushing against hers in comfort.
"Thank you." Jasper smiled. "And yeah, it is kind of crap, the way the courts believe the smaller, weaker-appearing person."
She was touched that Peridot seemed to care so much about her, and how angry she seemed about Lapis' deeds. It had been a long time, but Jasper was still upset over it, and she found it comforting for someone else to be mad as well. This topic was making her rather angry, though, and she looked for a change of subject. Jasper glanced at Peridot's legs, then at the scar on her forehead. How did she get those injuries?
"Anyways, what about you? Do your legs or head ever hurt?"
Shaking her head, Peridot glanced at her prosthetics, face falling slightly when Jasper asked about her legs.
"No... they don't hurt anymore. It's just... weird. Sometimes I feel like they're still there... like I can scratch or feel them or something but then I look down and there's nothing." She sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. "And as far as my head, nah. Sometimes I forget it's there honestly."
"Were you born without your legs, or did you lose them?" Jasper asked quietly, settling her hand on Peridot's thigh.
"It...it was a car accident...when I was seven." She looked down at the floor for a moment as she remembered. "My parents...they were going through a pretty bad divorce at the time... My mom had some sort of stupid fight with my dad and stormed out with me in hand. It was raining, she was pissed, and a little drunk, which didn't exactly help." Peridot hadn't thought about any of this in a long time, and despite it being so long ago she couldn't help that familiar feeling in her gut. "Anyways...she needed up running a red light and t-boning another car. It was pretty bad...and the doctors did what they could, but it was basically my life or my legs, so..."
When she was finished, she sighed and rubbed the back of her neck.
"Wow, I'm so sorry," Jasper murmured, squeezing Peridot's hand. "That sounds horrible. Your mom must feel pretty bad about that, huh? Do you ever think about it?"
Jasper glanced over at the smaller girl, offering a reassuring smile.
"Yes I suppose one would think so...." Peridot mumbled, not entirely meaning to be heard. Her mother, Yellow as she called her, had...a difficult personality. Peridot wouldn't say she didn't feel bad...but the older woman certainly had an odd way of showing remorse. Sometimes Peridot felt like Yellow couldn't stand the sight of her with prosthetics. Shaking her head of the thoughts, the smaller girl cleared her throat of the sudden lump that formed inside it.
"No...no, not really. At least I try not to. Sometimes it gets to me, but there's no use really living in the past." She glanced at Jasper with a weak grin. "What about you? Do you think about that Lapis girl a lot?"
Jasper pulled Peridot over to her, wanting to cuddle the girl until she felt better. She could tell there was more to the story, but she didn't want to pry. She sighed, burying her face in Peridot's hair. She smelled like peppermint, and it mixed with the coffee smell permeating the shop wonderfully.
"I'm so sorry," Jasper murmured, holding Peridot tighter. The girl was practically in her lap, she held her so close. "And I try not to think about those few months. It took a long time to even be able to think about her without freaking out. I had some trouble with flashbacks from some of the more... troubling... events."
Jasper didn't want to think about all the things Lapis had done. There was some really unsettling stuff, and she didn't want to unload it all on Peridot the same day they had met.
Peridot blushed deeply, stiffening in Jasper's hold. This was...strange. Peri never did things like this...open up to people this easily. Anytime someone tried to pry in her personal life they were met with a harsh glare or a snappy 'none of your business.' But Jasper was...different, somehow. Somehow telling this woman about her past didn't seem so wrong. She felt like she could trust Jasper. Even if they had only just met.
It took a moment, but Peridot finally relaxed in Jasper's strong arms, enjoying the warmth she gave off.
"It's really fine." She said quietly. She glanced at Jasper with a reassuring look, though couldn't help but frown slightly when she mentioned 'more troubling' things Lapis had done to her. What else could that witch possibly have done to torment Jasper? Peridot hated to imagine it, and since it was rather obvious that Jasper didn't want to explain further, Peri opted not to pry and just leave it alone. For now.
"I'm sorry about her...no one should have to go through that."
Jasper sighed as Peridot relaxed into her hold. Normally, even mentioning Lazuli would send Jasper into a flurry of anxiety; it was rather impressive that Peridot's presence alone was enough to calm Jasper to the point of being able to talk about it. She closed her eyes, trying to relax again.
"Mhm," Jasper muttered, "I'm just glad it was me instead of any of my friends. I think Lazuli would've broken most other people's arm. Or face."
Peridot sighed into her arms, her head laying comfortably against her chest.
"Yeah well...I'm not thrilled it was you," she said softly, "but at least it's over now."
"Eh, I guess," Jasper muttered, flicking her hair out of her face. "Sometimes I see her around campus. It's never fun when I do."
Jasper sighed as she relaxed into the couch, letting Peridot rest her head against her chest. She felt so comfortable with the smaller girl.
"Man that sucks," Peridot said. She sighed and held Jasper's hand. It was so much larger than her own.
"Hey...when's your shift over?"
"Huh?" Jasper was shaken from her reverie by Peridot's question. She looked at her watch, surprised to see that it was 7:45. They'd been talking for hours. "Oh, um, it's actually almost over. I get off at 8."
Jasper looked down at the girl in her lap. She was so fucking cute; she couldn't stand it.
"So, do you want to follow me to my place, or meet me there later?" Jasper paused. "Actually, it might be better to meet up. I need a shower; I smell like the shop."
"Well, Pearl drove me, but her and Amethyst took the car. It's no big deal though, it's not that far of a walk." Standing from Jasper's lap, Peridot stretched her arms out. "And I don't mind meeting you. I should probably shower and stuff too honestly." She chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck.
"Are you sure? How far is it to your place?" Jasper worried, standing up and going behind the counter to start cleaning and shutting down machines. She looked up at Peridot as she wiped off the counter, smiling a bit as their eyes met.
"Yeah, it's no big deal. Honest." She gave Jasper a reassuring grin. "I'll meet you at your place at what time? Nine?"
"That sounds like a plan," Jasper agreed, smiling back. She walked over to hold the door for Peridot before locking it behind them. Jasper turned and caught Peridot in a hug, bending down to kiss her sweetly.
"See you soon, gorgeous," Jasper murmured against Peridot's lips, then turned and walked away, leaving Peridot standing outside the coffee shop. She couldn't wait to see her that night.
Peridot stood there, lips still slightly parted and cheeks flaming with red as she watched Jasper walk away. The smell of coffee and caramel still lingered in her nose, and it amazed Peridot how much she looked forward to seeing Jasper again, despite her having barely left her sight.
A crooked smile played over the girl's lips. She absolutely couldn't wait to meet at Jasper's place. But then it hit her...
She never got her number! How was she supposed to know where she lives now? Peridot groaned, wanting to rip her hair out.
'Oh, that's just great, you clod!' she cursed to herself. In a fit of frustration, Peri crunched the disposable coffee cup she still held in her hand. It was in that moment something caught her attention. Jasper's name, though now rather scrunched up, was written there, followed by what appeared to be a phone number...
'OH THANK GOD!' Peridot thought, her inner voice a yell of relief.
Quickly, she dialed the digits into her phone and shot Jasper a quick text, "hey, mind giving me your address for tonight? -Peri."
Jasper got into her car with a sigh, starting the engine and getting ready to peel out. Her phone buzzed, interrupting her, and she checked the screen, inexplicably happy to see that Peri had texted her.
Jasper smiled as she typed out her response, hit send, and put Peridot's number in her phone. She named her contact 'String Bean' with a little green heart next to it.
Setting her phone down, Jasper drove off, her thoughts centered squarely on Peridot.