Chapter Text
“You’ve done such a good job, Lapis.” Blue Diamond said from under the veil.
Lapis’s head was bowed, counting the seconds until she could rise again, the minutes until she could be alone again and clutch herself tight. She counted until she was allowed to drop the facade.
“Thank you, my Diamond.” Lapis said, waiting to be done with it.
“Come to me after for your reward.” Blue Diamond added. In the middle of court, everyone knew what that meant and Lapis could feel all of their angry leers. She could feel another gaze too, meeker than the other’s. She heard the other gem shift, hands folded in her lap primly and her thumbnail scratching her wrist. The smallest of gestures she was allowed.
Lapis had a pearl once, it didn’t last long. The thing annoyed her, following on her heel, always quiet, always lurking. Pearls unsettled her, she wasn’t sure why. She wasn’t interested in finding out.
Lapis wanted to decline the gift: a night with Blue Diamond’s pearl. A rare privilege, but one Lapis was disinterested in. If she could pass the reward off to any in court, she would but that was as bad as declining the gift, like spitting in Blue Diamond’s face.
She did not want to lose face and she chose, despite her desires to go to Blue Diamond’s quarters later that night. She parted the veil to her room, could feel the thrum of it’s mechanics under her bare feet. Like Blue Diamond’s throne, the room could also move. Blue Diamond did not like to walk.
She did not like to make love either, it involved too much movement, like walking. She preferred to watch. Tonight she would watch Lapis and her pearl. Lapis was expected to put on a good show, to demonstrate her gratitude for one of Blue Diamond’s most precious rewards.
Lapis was good at that, she spent nearly every breath faking something, whatever her superiors needed her to be. She was tired of pretending, but not tired of living. So she continued to live a lie.
Like a veil, Lapis drew back the pearl’s bangs. Her eyes were a sick milky colour, staring up at Lapis with trained indifference. Lapis held a handful of her hair and pulled her downwards to face the floor, away from Lapis. Roughness was allowed, as long as she didn’t damage the pearl. Blue Diamond smiled at the display and goaded Lapis on: “go on. Bite her.”
Lapis did. The pearl melted in her arms, pitching backwards into the silk bedspread, arms above her head. She opened her mouth, as if she were about to speak, but all that left her throat was a shallow hiss. How disappointing, Lapis thought. No backbone at all.
Just like her.