A/N: Hey guys, again sorry for not updating saturday but I did promise to update it this week, so here it is! I rly appreciate your guys' kind words, anyways I hope yall are enjoying the story so far! :)

-Baggy 

Lapis didn't answer me, and only continued to cry on the floor. I had no idea what to do or say about this, so I just stood there awkwardly, watching her. I felt so tensed up, and it felt like I could barely move from the spot my feet were planted. I had only been about a couple feet away from her as I stood before her. The sound of Lapis' quiet sobs and hitched breaths broke my heart, and a lump formed in my throat. "D-don't cry, Lapis...c-c'mon..." I murmured nervously, twiddling my fingers. 

She curled up tighter, and her sniffling only became louder. "C'mon, Lapis...g-get up..." I told her, taking a step forward. I had no idea how to handle this, because I was generally no good at comforting people in the first place. Nobody in the workplace ever broke down and cried in front of me like this...how was I supposed to react? I had never been in such a situation in such a long time. "I-I'm s-sorry I-I ca-can't st-stop..." she stammered horribly, lifting her head up from her hands. The sight before me shattered my heart into a million pieces I admit, and now I was the one who felt like crying. 

She stared up me with sad, glossy eyes as tears slowly streamed down her now red face. Her usual flawless facial features were now flushed everywhere, and she looked like an absolute mess. I pursed my lips, and furrowed my eyebrows firmly. You can do this, Peridot. Just comfort her. It's not that hard. "Hey. Get up." I repeated, hesitantly holding a hand out to her. Lapis then stared intensely at my hand for a moment, and scrunched up her eyebrows. I reached my hand out further to signal for her to just take it already. After a few heartbeats, she finally shakily took it, and I pulled her up to her feet. 

Her hand was so warm and soft, and I stared down at it for a second. It was weakly gripping onto mine, and I...didn't want to let go of it. I didn't want to release her hand but...something urged me to do so. I slowly slipped my hand away, and looked down at the floor glumly. I could sense her staring at me through my peripheral vision, so I looked back up at her. She had stopped sniffling and her breath stopped hitching, but tears still stained her red-tinted cheeks. I stared her down with furrowed eyebrows, and I balled my fists. "Lapis." 

The bluenette slightly flinched at my tone, and I inhaled sharply. "Please don't cry. Tell me what happened there, Lapis." I said, softening my firm expression. Lapis only looked to the side, and hugged herself tightly - it looked as though she were about start crying again. I had to do something. "I-I hate seeing you cry, L-Lapis...y-you used to hardly ever cry...you're s-such a strong person...and I admire that about you. If you just stop crying, and just tell me what's on your mind...I can probably help you better." I explained nervously, feeling a blush coming on. This isn't coming out as wise as I thought it would be. 

"...b-besides..." I added, scratching the back of my neck. "If you start crying again...I'll start crying." I murmured, lightly chuckling. That chuckle was an attempt to hide my cracking voice - therefore hinting my urge to cry now. Lapis then looked back up at me, and stopped crying altogether. Now the remaining tears were only slowly falling down her face, and her expression was calmer. I reached my hand up, then quickly retracted it for a moment, earning Lapis a confused stare. I then reluctantly tried again, and reached my hand out to Lapis's face. I touched it very gently, and wiped away the tears from her face with my thumb. "No more crying." I whispered, feeling the lump in my throat grow larger. 

Lapis then closed her eyes, and leaned into my hand, causing me to blush harder. She pressed her cheek further into my palm, and I blinked in surprise. "I-I'm sorry. I just...broke down. I couldn't hold it back any longer. I don't know what happened..." she muttered softly. I stayed silent, not exactly knowing how to respond yet. Comforting someone is a lot harder than it looks. I was thinking back on how it all happened so fast...but at the same time, I think I knew what had happened...what she was feeling. "I just saw...a small flash of the past, I guess." she said, and I tilted my head. "What do you mean?" I asked. "You just...looked like your old self again, Peridot. It brought back too many emotions at once, and I couldn't hold it back anymore." she explained. 

"Why does my old self bring you so much overwhelming emotion?" I asked, arching an eyebrow. Lapis then glanced to the side, and furrowed her eyebrows. She moved her face away from my hand, and wiped her face roughly. "I-I um...j-just...I was a lot less stressed back then during that time is all..." she murmured, wrapping her arms around herself again. I wondered why she cut herself off like that suddenly, but I wasn't about to question it. You aren't there to pry things out of her, Peridot...you're there to comfort her. I sighed, and closed my eyes as I tried to think. How do I respond? I opened my eyes back up and stared at Lapis intently, who was staring at the floor now.  

Thoughts kept coming at me from every direction, and I was hesitant about every single one. I began to fiddle with my hands anxiously, and my gaze darted back and forth. Just once. Just do it once. For her. I finally gave in, and approached her closer. Her eyes darted back up to me in confusion as I grew closer to her, and she looked at both of my arms. I raised my arms up, and slowly wrapped them tightly around Lapis. I buried my face into the crook of her neck, and just completely embraced her. Lapis quietly gasped, most likely not thinking I heard it. She was clearly taken aback, and she hadn't yet hugged me back. I was debating on whether I should stay like this, or just pull away. 

She wasn't hugging back, therefore this didn't seem to be working. Shit. Do I pull away? Do I stay?? Do I stay until she hugs back?! WHAT DO I DO. Just as I was about to pull away, I felt her two wrap around me snugly. I slightly flinched, but relaxed again in the touch. She hugged me very tightly, and I returned the same intensity with my embrace. I had never hugged someone this tightly in years...I actually don't think I ever have hugged anyone this tightly. Before I knew it, tears pricked the corners of my eyes, so I buried my face deeper into the crook of her neck to hide it. Don't cry, Peridot. You're supposed to be the strong one here. 

It felt like we stayed in this hug for hours and...I didn't want it to end. I normally didn't particularly enjoy any physical contact but...this felt...different. I gritted my teeth tightly, and gave my everything to not cry - yet I could already feel a couple of my tears soaking into Lapis's shirt. She probably already noticed at this point....yet said nothing. I then felt Lapis's weight heavier on me, and I opened my eyes back up. We were (well, I was) falling backwards, and I eventually felt my back hit the cushioned couch. "L-Lapis?" I whispered, feeling Lapis just hug me tighter. 

Lapis only shushed me, and buried her face into my shirt. She was now laying on me, and all I could do was rest my hands on her back. "Just let me have this." she whispered barely audibly, and my eyes opened widely. Those words made me tear up again, and my lips suddenly parted. My face heated up, and my hands tensed up as they still remained on Lapis's back. Let me have this? Those words kept repeating my mind over and over, and I slowly closed my eyes once again. My hands kept tensing up and relaxing, and my heartbeat wasn't rapid...but it felt like it was pounding. I felt slightly embarrassed that Lapis would feel my thumping heartbeat...but she still...said nothing. She didn't seem to judge anything. Or maybe she just never noticed...I could feel myself drifting in and out of consciousness. 

But I knew that my heart was still beating in an odd fashion, and my entire torso kept tingling. The feeling of Lapis's warm body just slumped onto mine, her long arms just wrapped around me warmly, her slow breathing, and the sound of her now light snoring...was unbelievably calming. And...something else. But I couldn't put my finger on it. I rested my chin on her fluffy blue hair, which still held that familiarly subtle chlorine smell.

What was this feeling?

Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.