Gemling Fever
It took them a while, but finally after much work the platform was built and the barn relocated to the temple, and now Sapphire was busy helping Lapis with setting up their new farm, which was situated on a platform which circled the head of the temple.
While this was going on, Peridot made her way back into the house, finding a disgruntled looking Pearl waiting for her, as well as an excited looking Steven, Peridot sighing before sitting down and speaking. “Ok, what’s wrong?”
“Oh I don't know,” said Pearl, “the fact that you mentioned building a nest when I have no idea why we would need to do such a thing.”
“Then I shall explain,” said Peridot with a smile, before pulling up a screen and displaying images as she spoke. “You see, when a gem reaches the third month of carrying, they enter what is called the nesting phase, where they build themselves a nest out of whatever materials are available, no matter what they were originally intended for. Due to this, most gems who carry build their nest before this happens, that way they just use that nest rather than making one of their own.”
“I...I see,” said Pearl, “any suggestions?”
“Well,” said Peridot, “it's usually a tent like structure, filled with lots of soft material and blankets, for hard surfaces are bad for a gemling during their first year of life.”
“I see, I’ll head down to Amethysts room then, she will have a lot of that stuff and that way I won’t have to go out and buy it. Any other suggestions.”
“Yes….but you're not going to like it?”
“What is it?” asked Pearl.
“Well, to insure that your gemlings will grow healthy and strong….you're going to have to start eating food.”
“......WHAT!!!”
“You’re going to have to start eating food,” said Peridot with a sigh. “I know you don't like to engage in that activity, but if you want them to be healthy, you're going to have to do it, otherwise you could miscarry and cause them all to die.”
Pearl gulped, “I….Ok, when should I….”
“As soon as possible, like now.”
“Fine….”
She walked over to the fridge and began looking over what they had, meanwhile Peridot decided to head back to the barn, walking up the recently made stairs and entering the door before sighing as she laid down in her makeshift bed, taking off her limb enhancers and setting them aside before grabbing the remote, only to stop as she saw Lapis standing near the doorway.
“Hey Lapis, I thought you were helping Sapphire with the farm?”
Lapis didn't speak, closing the door behind her and causing Peridot to look concerned. “Lapis….?”
Then Lapis came into the light, Peridot noticing that her face was flushed, her breathing was ragged, and if the light coming from her back was any indication, her gem was glowing in pulses, which indicated only one thing.
Lapis had gemling fever.
“Lapis….!”
“Give me your gemlings!!!” cried Lapis, before pouncing upon Peridot, the little gem struggling for a bit before finally giving in, after all, she wasn't going to say know if it was her crush that was on top of her.
*
Hours later, Peridot was resting comfortably with Lapis, their forms nude to the world save for the blanket covering them.
“I can't believe I just did that,” said Peridot, her hand twitching a bit as she looked around, feeling Lapis nuzzle closer to her and purr, literally purr. It caused her to smile a little, but only a little, for while Lapis purring was cute, the sensation of intense heat radiating of her stomach into her palm was worrying her a bit.
“God her….stuff is hot,” said Peridot, before shaking her head to clear her thoughts. “Ok Peridot, just think, you weren't in heat, so you have that going for you…..but Lapis Lazuli’s are notorious for being very potent sire’s, so you have that going against you. But were different gem types, so I have that going for me….but Pearl is pregnant with geodes from a different gem….two gems in fact, so I have that going against me.”
She kept trying to think up different things, till finally she yelled out in frustration, getting out of bed and heading over to her limb enhancers, which caused Lapis to wake up.
“Mmmm, Peridot, come back to bed.”
“Give me a minute, I need to see if you knocked me up or not.”
“Ok,” said Lapis sleepily, snuggling into the blankets for a moment before what Peridot had said registered, the gem springing out of bed and heading over to Peridot as she spoke. “Wait, you can find out if you're pregnant now?”
“Yes,” said Peridot, “gem insemination is almost instantaneous, for our bodies have geodes ready and waiting to be inseminated, the only thing that is required is for the two gems mating to be emotionally compatible.”
“....And...and are we?”
Peridot hesitated a moment, then sighed, “Look Lapis, I like you, like a lot, so I would say yes, but there are many factors that could keep me from….well you know.”
She then activated her scanner, running it over her body, and almost at once she received many a chiming sound, the gem sighing as she turned off the scanner and looked to Lapis. “Whelp, it's official, you knocked me up, I am carrying your gemlings.”
Lapis stood there for a long moment, and then she began to grin, the grin growing wider and wider till she grabbed Peridot up, spinning her about as she laughed excitedly, Peridot joining in and hugging her tight till they heard the door opening.
“Hey Guys, I just wanted to let you know the farm is finished and…..”
Sapphire stopped, her face looking shocked, before it morphed into a grin as she stood their staring at them with her hands clasped together.
“Um, Sapphire, would you mind….”
“Hey Sapphire what are you….OH GOD MY EYES!!!”
“JASPER!” cried Peridot, watching as the larger gem covered her eyes, but sadly this was not the end of their embarrassment.
“Ok, what is with all the shou…..OH MY STARS WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO!!!”
“Hey, nice going P-dot.”
“Sapphire, what is…..you have got to be kidding me.”
“U….U….WE’LL EXPLAIN LATER!!!” yelled Peridot, using her metal powers to lift up a metal bar and use it to close the door, and then she used it to lock it, the two gems breathing in hard before finally sighing as Lapis spoke.
“Let’s get dressed, we have some explaining to do.”
*
They were quick to get dressed, but it took them a while to go over how they were going to break the news to the other gems, especially seeing as how it meant Lapis and Peridot would soon be out of commision.
Soon however, they found themselves back in Steven’s house, everyone staring at them while Steven himself looked confused. “Um, I heard a lot of shouting, and then they all came in looking all shocked…..well save for Amethyst.”
Peridot hesitated a moment, then spoke. “Ok, we have some news for you guys, news that is….well it’s probably going to cause a bit of chaos around here.”
“What do you mean?”
“Um...well, you see….”
“I went into gemling fever last night,” said Lapis bluntly.
Before anyone could speak, Jasper screamed in shock before leaping behind the couch, shaking as she peeked out from behind the couch and spoke, “Keep that gemling crazed witch away from me!”
“Calm down Jasper,” said Peridot, “It’s already passed, she’s….well she has already found her mate.”
There was silence for a moment, and then Jasper spoke up, “Wait, does that mean you and her…..?”
“Yes,” said Peridot, “we mated, that’s why you found us naked in the barn.”
“Wait,” said Steven, “you guys can be naked, I thought your cloths were melded to your body.”
Peridot stared at him a moment, then looked to Pearl, who was blushing as she spoke. “We….um….we may have been omitting certain….facts from Steven about gems, like the fact that our appearance modifiers are….well, optional.”
“It is,” said Steven, “so why do you wear them all the time, do they need to be washed, do……”
“Steven,” said Pearl, “it doesn't matter, what I want to know is what this all means, I mean you could have told us at any time that you were getting together.”
“Well……you see….”
“She’s pregnant with my geodes,” said Lapis.
The room was deathly silent for a moment, then Sapphire grabbed Ruby and pulled her to her, beginning to make the same noise she made when she had first seen Stevonnie, Steven making the same noise as the others stood their in shocked silence, till finally Pearl groaned and walked over to grab Peridot’s hand. “You’re coming with me?”
“What….Why?”
“Cause you promised me to help with this whole nesting thing, so you might as well get some material for your nest to while I look for mine. Amethyst, open the door.”
“Ok boss,” said Amethyst, opening the door for them and following them inside, the door closing behind them and leaving everyone else in the room, Steven and Sapphire still making their excited noise as Jasper moved out from behind the couch, the gem looking at them both for a moment before shrugging her shoulders and heading out the door.
“Wait,” cried Ruby in desperation. “Jasper, get me out of here, don’t leave me!!!”
“Oh calm down Ruby,” said Lapis, the gem’s eyes never leaving the door as she waited for Peridot to return, no one noticing her eyes beginning to glow as she let out a small, quiet hiss.