Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was a quiet day in Beach City. There were no missions, nothing going on at the house. Something had happened at the barn, however, and it was a perfect time for Steven and the Crystal Gems to visit Lapis and Peridot.

And it was something very special that had happened. Something that hadn’t happened for thousands of years.

Lapis Lazuli had had a litter of gemlings.

The Crystal Gems and Steven stood around Lapis in her hammock. The blue gem held three tiny gems in her arms, two lapises and a peridot. Peridot stood proudly next to them. Nobody had been allowed to visit since Lapis had laid her eggs since she had gone feral and would attack anyone except for her mate. Amethyst and Steven could barely contain their excitement, Pearl looked concerned for Lapis, and Garnet looked emotionless.

“I thought this was impossible,” Pearl said.

“You know Era One gems would sometimes reproduce. Lapis is as old as we are,” Garnet reminded her.

“Oh stars, they are so cute! I WANT ONE!” Amethyst yelled excitedly.

“Be quiet, they’re sleeping,” Lapis said.

“What are their names?” Steven asked.

“The lapises are Percy and Paulette. The peridot is Piera. Don’t blame me, their sire here thought it would be a great idea, and I didn’t have any better ideas,” Lapis said with a laugh. Peridot grinned.

“I still want one,” Amethyst said.

“I thought gems came from kindergartens,” Steven said.

“Most of them do, but a long time ago we used to be able to reproduce naturally, much like humans. Lapis and I wanted to see if it was still possible, since homeworld isn’t going to do anything to us anymore if we did. Apparently it is,” Peridot said.

“Then why do they even need the kindergartens?”

Peridot was quick to elaborate, “Homeworld moved to kindergartens when they needed a lot of warriors fast. Quartzes particularly. Some gems, like rubies, reproduced fast and they’d have large litters after about five months,”–Garnet bristled hearing that— “However, some gems, mostly quartzes, had much harder times carrying. They were excellent sires, but as carriers they had long incubation periods and would usually only carry one egg, sometimes two. It was extremely time consuming for so little, and they took a long time to grow and train, therefore producing hundreds of full-grown quartzes in a kindergarten was much more efficient. Eventually the Diamonds realized it was much better for all gems to be produced this way and natural reproduction was outlawed.”

“Aren’t you all female though?” Steven asked.

“We can be whatever we want. Shapeshifting solves all of life’s problems, dude,” Amethyst said.

“So all gems can have babies like Lapis?”

“Basically, yes, but some gems were better at filling certain roles than others. Rubies and other smaller gems were generally good carriers, with the exception of sapphires. Sapphires didn’t have huge litters, though they weren’t as bad as amethysts. Pearls are fair carriers generally too. I have little data on lapises and I’m the only peridot I know of that has reproduced and I sired in this case. Still, nothing is worse as a carrier than a quartz, but as I’ve said, they make wonderful sires. I researched all this while I was trying to see if Lapis and I were compatible,” Peridot said. Garnet walked off, nobody was sure what was going on with her.

There was a low growl from the loft. “I offered to sire with the both of you, you didn’t want to take it, thought you’d be so much better yourselves. You might’ve got more than three brats,” said a voice.

“Hey Jasper, didn’t know you were here,” Amethyst said.

The orange gem peered down at them. “I’m bored, want to fight something. You up for some carnage, runt? By the way, I hear your friend outside. She’s unfused, I hear them arguing about something. If you don’t shut them up, I will, and it won’t be pretty,” she growled.

“Garnet has been acting funny all day, I wonder if…” Pearl trailed off.

“Hey, Lapis, can I hold the gemlings? I won’t drop them or anything. I used to hold Steven when he was a baby,” Amethyst asked.

“Go ahead, just be careful. They’re more delicate than human babies,” Lapis said.

“We should go see what’s going on with Garnet,” Pearl said.

“I’m sure she’s fine, she’s Garnet. C’mon P, why don’t you hold one of the gemlings too? Look at them, they’re so little I can hold one in the palm of my hand,” Amethyst said.

“Not right now she’s not. They’re Ruby and Sapphire, and they’re pathetic,” Jasper muttered.

“I have video of Lapis laying, you want to see it?” Peridot asked.

“Steven can’t watch that!” Pearl yelped. She started pushing Steven towards the door. “In fact, I’m taking him home now. He’s overstimulated and won’t be able to sleep tonight!”

“Aw, c’mon Pearl, I haven’t had a turn to hold the gemlings yet!” Steven protested.

“I’ll catch up with you guys later. Now, P-dot, about that vid?” Amethyst asked, the two lapis gemlings in her arms.

“Yeah, I have it here, let me find it,” Peridot said. Lapis got up and went to see about Ruby and Sapphire, Piera still in her arms.

The two gems were sitting by the wall of the barn outside. Sapphire had her head on Ruby’s lap, and she was sobbing. Ruby stroked her hair lovingly, trying her best to console her.

“I’m sorry,” Lapis said.

Sapphire looked at her, her one eye full of tears. “You did nothing wrong,” she said.

“It’s my fault,” Ruby said.

“I keep telling you, it’s not your fault. It was an accident,” Sapphire said.

“Three times is not an accident!”

“Is there something I can help with?” Lapis asked. Ruby shook her head. Peridot came and joined them.

“I found the video. Amethyst is thrilled. She’s very good with the gemlings too. I told her, if they start crying to bring them to you,” Peridot said. She looked at Ruby. “Something wrong with you guys? Leaving and unfusing like that?”

“It’s the gemlings. We love them, they’re beautiful, but it’s a bit much for Sapphire,” Ruby said. “And when you talked about rubies and sapphires having gemlings, she couldn’t take it anymore.”

“It’s an emotional subject,” Sapphire said. She was still crying.

“Are you going to be okay?” Lapis asked.

“We’ll be fine. I thought Sapphire and I had gotten over this, but…” Ruby trailed off. She began crying too. Lapis handed Piera off to Peridot and went and sat with the two corundums.

“Will talking help?” Lapis asked.

Ruby sighed. “It’s nothing we can ever get over. The reason we’re so emotional about gemlings is…well, I’ve been pregnant before. Three times actually. And every time we’ve lost the whole litter,” she said. Sapphire sobbed even harder.

“Oh stars…” Lapis said, hugging Ruby.

“The first time was completely unexpected. It wasn’t long after we first fused and weren’t doing it permanently yet. Ruby was carrying eight geodes, and she wanted me to feel what it was like, so we fused. It fell apart and she immediately miscarried the entire clutch,” Sapphire said.

“Then, the second litter was planned. We wanted those gemlings. I had six of them at that point. But then we got into a fight with a corrupted gem. I used my power to protect Sapphy, even though she insists she would’ve been fine on her own. Rose came and helped us, but I immediately miscarried the litter again,” Ruby said.

“And then, the last time was some time after Steven was born. We had gotten drunk playing with Amethyst and I managed to accidentally breed Ruby again. This time, she didn’t use her power and we didn’t fuse. She carried to term, but when she laid…she had eight again. Five of the gemlings were already dead, and the other three didn’t survive very long. We had one tiny sapphire that we thought might make it, but we lost her too. So we’re not trying anymore, I don’t know if Ruby even can have any more. She may have been too damaged from the miscarriages to have live gemlings. We have each other, that’s enough,” Sapphire said. She crawled up and sat on Ruby’s lap.

“Oh, Garnet, that’s so sad. I want to tell you something: I actually had five eggs. We didn’t say anything but...two of them, a lapis and a peridot, didn’t make it, so we kinda…know how it feels to lose gemlings. I mean, two is not like over twenty, and we do have three healthy children…but…” Lapis said.

Ruby nodded. “We know what you’re saying. It hurts Sapphire even more than me to think about it though,” she said.

“Has Sapphire ever carried?”

The blue gem shook her head. “I probably could, but I don’t want to. If we lost another gemling, I would shatter,” she said.

“I could help.” Peridot said. “I did a lot of research when Lapis got pregnant, and I am kind of an expert.”

“As I said, we have each other and that’s enough,” Sapphire said.

“Is it?” Ruby asked. Sapphire glared at her.

“Are you considering setting us up for more heartbreak, Ruby? I thought you were smarter than that. We agreed we don’t need gemlings; we’ve lost enough to fill a kindergarten,” Sapphire said.

“I know it doesn’t help, but I think I might know what went on with the third litter even. Was she eating the right stuff? I got Lapis a lot of vitamins while she was carrying. You know you need to eat and rest and not use your powers and not fuse, but you need a lot of minerals to have healthy gemlings,” Peridot said.

“Stop! I don’t want to think about it anymore,” Sapphire said. She got up. “Come along Ruby, we need to get back to the house. However, I don’t want to be fused with you right now with the subject matter.”

They walked off and Peridot and Lapis went back into the barn. They just weren’t prepared for what they caught Amethyst doing to the lapis gemlings inside.

Chapter Text

“I can’t believe you were doing that. I don’t know what possessed you to think that we’d find this okay!” Lapis yelled. She and Peridot had gone into the barn to find Amethyst lying in Lapis’s hammock with a big grin on her face, her top off, eyes closed, and was breastfeeding the two lapis gemlings.

“You clod! How do you even have anything anyway?” Peridot asked.

“I don’t. It just felt good. I wasn’t hurting them, they seemed to like it,” Amethyst said.

“Enjoy feeling good for the moment. You won’t be for long. Just stay here and take your punishment like a woman. Peridot, take the gemlings outside, I don’t want them to see this,” Lapis growled. She turned up to the loft and summoned water chains to restrain the purple gem. “Hey Jasper? Can you come here for a moment?”

“Finally, some entertainment!” The orange gem said happily as she leapt down.

XX

Ruby and Sapphire were still unfused. More than that. Sapphire had gone to her room and was hugging a pillow to herself, even though she had frozen it solid. Ruby was watching TV with Steven and Pearl (who looked rather bored), but she wasn’t paying much attention. She kept thinking about Sapphire and what had gone on earlier. She didn’t know how she’d make the blue gem happy again.

“I asked you a question Ruby,” Steven said, bringing the red gem out of her thoughts.

“Hmm?” Ruby asked.

“I asked why you and Sapphire aren’t being Garnet right now,” Steven said.

“It’s complicated,” Ruby said, shifting to lie on her side on the floor. She was uneasy, and she was not going to get any better until she was able to talk to Sapphire. But the blue gem was depressed and it might be best not to bother her.

“By the way, what smells like a bonfire?” Steven asked.

Ruby sat straight up. She knew she was starting her heat cycle from being around the gemlings, but she didn’t think it would be so obvious yet. And if she was coming into heat that meant Sapphire…well, that explained a lot of the blue gems emotions. They were synchronized from being fused constantly, and Sapphire sometimes had trouble telling. She certainly could never tell when Ruby was, since she had no sense of smell, and that was mostly how she kept knocking her up. She got up and decided it was time she made sure her wife was going to be okay.

As soon as Ruby had left, there was a knock on the door. Pearl went to get it. There were Lapis and Peridot with their gemlings.

“Tag, you’re it,” Lapis said sarcastically, thrusting Amethyst’s gemstone into Pearl’s hands. At least it wasn’t shattered; she’d be fine in a few days.

XX

Sapphire was still distraught. She didn’t even notice when Ruby came in. In her state, Sapphire had forgotten to lock the door.

“Howdy Miz Sapphire, ya look like ya could use some company,” Ruby said in her cowboy voice.

“Not now Ruby, I’m not in the mood right now. Leave me alone,” Sapphire said.

“I’m not leaving. You need me, we need each other. I went through it too, you know. I was the one who felt it! If anyone should be devastated to remember what happened, it should be me!” Ruby exclaimed, sitting down on the bed.

“I wouldn’t want that for you, I have to bear the pain for both of us,” Sapphire said.

Ruby cuddled up against her wife and held her. “Look, Sapphy, you’re emotional right now, it’s only natural, but you’ve got to let me in. We’re married, we’re a team. Your problems are my problems, your pain is my pain, your joy is my joy,” she said. Sapphire nuzzled her.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. It just hurt to be reminded. And then when you started talking like we should consider having gemlings again…”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said it,” Ruby said, stroking Sapphire’s head.

“It’s fine. Ruby, it’s not like I haven’t considered carrying, it’s just...twenty-two dead gemlings, Ruby! If I lost my litter too, I wouldn’t be able to take it, I’d shatter myself. And I’ve been thinking about what Peridot said, how she may be able to help us and considering she and Lapis have three of their own…” Sapphire said.

“Are you saying you want to try having gemlings?” Ruby asked incredulously. “Sapphy, my love, you’re in heat, you’re not thinking clearly.”

“I am a sapphire, I’m clarity embodied. Therefore I am thinking clearly. Yes, I’m just starting my heat and that’s why I haven’t gone and thrown myself at you, but Ruby, I’ve formed eggs. You know how long it’s been since that’s happened, and it’s always been you before. You don’t have to fertilize them, but if you want to I would be willing. And it’s going to be a long, miserable heat if you don’t, but I’ll understand,” Sapphire said.

“I suppose it wouldn’t be fair to not give them a chance,” Ruby said, “but do you really want to risk it? You said we have each other and that’s enough. And even so, we won’t be able to fuse. I was hoping we’d be able to be Garnet tomorrow, not six months from now. And I’ll have to find you some vitamins and you’ll have to eat and sleep enough,”

“I know that. You don’t want to put me through that, but it will take longer to get ourselves back to normal,” Sapphire said.

“That’s not it! If this is what you want, then it’s what I want!” Ruby cried.

“I do want it. I can handle eating and sleeping. I want us to have eggs. I want to feel our little ones growing inside me. I want little mini rubies and sapphires running around. I want to be a mommy, but I’m still so scared about what could happen,” Sapphire said.

“Sapphy, could you maybe use your future sight? You could tell what’s going to happen. Whether or not this is the time we finally succeed. If you don’t see anything good coming out of it, we can deal with that,” Ruby said.

“Why didn’t we think of that before? Yes,” Sapphire said, blocking out the fact that Ruby was right there and she really wanted her, hard as that was. Every moment her resolve was slipping away.

“What do you see?” Ruby asked.

“Be quiet Ruby. I can’t concentrate. This is hard enough right now.”

It took a few minutes longer. Ruby was losing her patience, even though she never had much to begin with. “Sapphy? Sapphy? Sapphy? Sapphy? SAPPHY?!” The red gem kept saying. Sapphire found it near impossible to block her out. At least she was almost done.

“Ruby, what did I just tell you? This is not easy right now. There is something I’d much rather be doing, I just have to make sure it’s safe,” Sapphire said. Then she smirked and pushed Ruby onto her back. She straddled her, giggling.

“I take it the vision was good?” Ruby asked. Sapphire just nodded excitedly and phased out of her clothes. Ruby pulled her down to kiss her. The red gem cupped her wife’s firm, perky breasts and squeezed gently. Sapphire shivered. She had always been sensitive, but now even more so, and her nipples were already hard. Of course, they usually were with her being an ice gem.

“I saw…if we were to mate right now…I’ll conceive four gemlings,” Sapphire said. “I didn’t see what they were, but I...did see that we were very happy. Things will be okay.” Ruby pulled her back down and phased her own clothes off. Sapphire licked at her small breasts.

Sapphire moaned happily as she felt a hand reach down and rub at her clit. “Gotta get you ready to take my knot. Kinda hurts, n’ you know my dick is bigger than yours,” Ruby said dreamily.

XX

Pearl and Steven didn’t know what exactly had happened to Amethyst. Lapis and Peridot had not provided any information; they had just left after bringing her home. Steven was very worried about the purple gem. They placed her on her bed in her room in the temple; she’d probably reform in a day or two.

“She was gone all day and she comes back like this. And Lapis did not seem happy with her. She’s got some explaining to do once she reforms!” Pearl fumed.

“Where’s Garnet? She could help us,” Steven asked.

“I don’t know if we’re going to be seeing Garnet for a while,” Pearl said.

“Why? What’s wrong with her? Is something going on with Ruby and Sapphire?” Steven asked.

“We’ll talk about it when you’re older. They’ll be fine,” Pearl said.

“You never tell me anything!”

There was a loud howl of pain from Garnet’s room.

“What was that?”

“Heh-heh, nothing. I’m sure Sapphire just stubbed her toe. Let’s go back to the house. We’ll find something to do,” Pearl said. I can’t believe they forgot to silence their room, she thought.

XX

Sapphire panted. Ruby was right, it did hurt. She was used to Ruby normally, they had sex often, but she had never been the one to take a breeding knot. Even after her wife had loosened her up.

Ruby, on the other hand, felt wonderful in Sapphire’s tight tunnel. She was attentive, she knew the blue gem was hurting, and she knew she had to stay still until Sapphire had gotten used to her. She rubbed her wife’s back and made soothing noises, but internally she was thinking about how good it felt. Cold as Sapphire was on the outside, her vagina was quite warm.

“Feeling any better?” Ruby asked in almost a whisper.

“A little bit,” Sapphire said.

“I’ll be gentle, okay? Just tell me when, I’m ready when you are,” Ruby said.

Chapter Text

Sapphire was more tired than she had ever felt in her life, but she was sure it was going to be worth it. Ruby clung to her, wanting to be as close as possible without fusing.

“How you feeling?” Ruby asked.

“Sore and tired. You don’t need to worry, I will be fine,” Sapphire said.

“What were we thinking?”

“We were in heat; you know what we were thinking. And I saw mostly good things when it came to us,”

“Do you think it worked?”

“I don’t think, I know. I told you what I saw. In a couple of months we’ll have four precious gemlings. Now, we need to get up. I need to ask Pearl to call Peridot. She is the expert after all. And you have to compile a list of things we will need,” Sapphire said, getting up. She winced, still in pain. “Before I do anything else, though, I need to have a bath.”

XX

Steven and Pearl had returned to check on Amethyst. She still hadn’t reformed. Ruby walked in.

“What in the world happened here?” Ruby asked in shock.

“We’re not sure. Lapis brought her back like this yesterday afternoon, soon after you went to see Sapphire. We think Jasper did it, because she’s the only one that could, but leaving her completely intact…I believe Lapis or Peridot bargained with her to not use her full strength or she would’ve destroyed her,” Pearl said.

“Poor Amethyst. At least I worked things out with Sapphy,” Ruby said.

“Then why aren’t you Garnet?” Steven asked.

“Oh, you’re not going to see her for a while. Oh yes, indeed. There’s a very special reason too, but I can’t say anything until Sapphy is with me. She’s just taking a bath right now. And I’d rather Amethyst was around too, so we have to wait for her to reform,” Ruby said.

XX

Sapphire traced her flat belly with a finger, smiling and thinking to herself. Just yesterday she was mourning and weeping and now she was so happy. There were four little lives growing inside her now, she already loved them so much. These ones had a chance, unlike all of her and Ruby’s other children. She would always mourn them, but she knew the eggs she carried were different. She’d do everything right, she promised herself. She could not stand the thought of losing these little ones too. She would not survive it.

“I know I can’t use my future vision to tell what you all are, but hope at least one of you is a sapphire. And I know Mama Ruby would be happy with a little version of her too. She’s been away from other rubies for so long and that’s hard on her. Rubies are so gregarious and all. I wonder if I’m having a Garnet? I know Ruby had about five of those among all our poor little baby rubies and sapphires. Oh, you’re all going to be so tiny and cute. My precious babies, I can’t wait to meet you,” Sapphire purred, patting her belly. She was done with her shower, so it was time to go find something to eat. Maybe share with Ruby.

“Ruby? Where are you?” Sapphire asked.

“In here!” Her wife called from Amethyst’s room.

Sapphire ran to her, even though she was still a bit sore. Ruby sounded very disturbed. She found the other three Crystal Gems staring at Amethyst’s gem.

“Sapphire, is she going to reform soon?” Steven asked.

Sapphire nodded. She could pretend she was using her future vision and he wouldn’t know, would he?

“How soon?” Steven pressed.

“I see multiple futures, but likely today,” Sapphire said. Steven seemed to buy it. Amethyst didn’t usually take too long to reform anyway.

XX

“What do you need my phone for anyway?” Pearl asked later. Ruby and Steven were playing with Lion outside. Sapphire was eating pancakes, but she didn’t much like them.

“I have to call Peridot,” Sapphire said.

“This isn’t about Amethyst is it?” Pearl asked suspiciously.

“No, it’s about me.”

“You don’t necessarily need Peridot. Steven has some chewable vitamins here, will those do for now?”

“I’m not sure…how did you know I was after vitamins?”

Pearl laughed. “You didn’t silence your room, we heard you last night. I had to make up ridiculous excuses for Steven. And the way Garnet was acting at the barn before she left, I knew you two were in heat, even before we could smell Ruby,” then she got serious. “I’m just surprised it’s you carrying. The last three times it was Ruby. Are you sure this is a good idea? I don’t want to see you and Ruby hurt again.”

“I looked into the future before we did it. In almost all futures, my gemlings survive. I would’ve never done it otherwise, and I’m not going to put Ruby through it again no matter what. Please don’t tell Steven or Amethyst. Ruby and I will do that when we’re ready,” Sapphire said. “I’ll take the vitamins we have, but I still would rather confer with Peridot. And I don’t want to go to the barn alone with Jasper hanging out there. Please, let me borrow your phone.”

Pearl reached into her gem and found her phone. Sapphire knew how to connect to Peridot’s tablet and send texts; she just hoped the green gem was as knowledgeable as she claimed.

….

Sapphire: We need to talk.

Peridot: This better not be Amethyst. I have nothing to say to her.

Sapphire: No, it’s Sapphire. Amethyst still has not reformed. I have some questions about what we talked about yesterday. I’m just curious about something.

Peridot: Oh?

Sapphire: What does it take to make a corundum?

Peridot: Mostly aluminum. Lapis needed some when she was carrying, even though she’s different. Why are you asking?

Sapphire: I told you, I’m just curious. Thanks anyway.

…

XX

Amethyst had finally reformed, but she didn’t want to leave her room. She was ashamed of what she had done, and she knew she’d have to explain herself to Pearl. She had been in heat, that was the reason she had tried to nurse the gemlings. It was not a good excuse, but it was the only one she had.

“Don’t even know why I come in heat in the first place. I’ll never form eggs, I’m sterile, it’s just so useless and annoying. Even if I could have gemlings I have no mate, and I’d just have one at a time if what Peridot said is true. Not that I wouldn’t be happy with just one even with Lapis having three and the huge amount Ruby has had, even though they died…” the purple gem muttered to herself. She just laid face-down on her bed.

Chapter Text

Sapphire looked at a can of cat food. Garnet’s kitten Cat Steven rubbed at her legs, waiting to be fed.

“I believe this can is aluminum, but I have no idea how I’m supposed to eat it,” she said. Ruby had come in a while ago and was hugging her from behind.

“Collect a bunch of ‘em. I can take ‘em to Bismuth and see if she can melt ‘em down into something small enough for you to swallow,” Ruby said.

Amethyst watched them, trying to figure out how to sneak past. She didn’t want to be seen yet, but she did want something to eat. She knew she’d have to show herself eventually, and explain what she had done to get poofed, but not at the moment. She wondered why Ruby and Sapphire hadn’t re-fused yet. She hadn’t seen them apart for so long since they had been married. And what was with the cans? She ate cans, but she had never seen Sapphire eat anything.

“We see you, Amethyst. You can stop hiding now,” Sapphire said.

“How?” Amethyst asked.

“I see your reflection in the microwave door. When did you wake up? Pearl and Steven were pretty worried about you.”

“We were all worried,” Ruby said.

“Just a little while ago, I deserved what happened to me,” Amethyst said, rummaging around in the refrigerator. “So why are you trying to eat that cat food? Your kitten is going crazy; she thinks you’re going to feed her.”

“To be fair, I am going to feed her as soon as I figure this out,” Sapphire said.

“Sapphy doesn’t want the cat food. She’s trying to figure out how to eat the can, she needs aluminum,” Ruby said, “I already told her I’d take them to Bismuth and she can make like, ball-bearings out of them small enough to swallow.”

“Would this have anything to do with why you’re not being Garnet right now?” Amethyst asked before taking out a tube of cookie dough and squeezing it into her mouth.

“Kinda. Can we tell her?” Ruby asked, rubbing Sapphire’s belly.

“Yeah, let’s tell her,” Sapphire said.

“Tell me what?” Amethyst asked.

“You better keep quiet about this; we want to tell Steven ourselves. Pearl already knows,” Ruby said.

“What do you take me for? I can keep a secret!” Amethyst yelled.

“Well, it’s very early, since it only happened last night, but according to my future sight…” Sapphire began.

“Sapphy is going to have babies,” Ruby purred.

Amethyst roared with laughter. “Oh man, it was quite a day for all of us!” the purple gem exclaimed. Pearl came in, hearing her laughing.

“Good, you’re awake. Do you mind telling me why Lapis and Peridot had to bring you home last night like they did?” Pearl asked.

“Not right now. We should be happy, and you’re not going to be happy when I tell you what went on. Sapphire is going to have gemlings! I’m so happy for her! Wait a minute…didn’t Ruby have gemlings before? I remember it didn’t turn out well,” Amethyst said.

“We do worry about that, but I made sure it would be okay. I told you I only saw good futures when it came to this,” Sapphire said, feeding her cat.

“Amethyst, I want you to tell me what you did. I’m not going to let this go,” Pearl said.

“Hey, Ruby and Sapphire were affected by the same pheromones from being around the gemlings and Lapis and you’re not mad at them!” Amethyst yelled.

“They didn’t get brought home as gems because they were doing something wrong!”

“No, they just came home and plowed each other so now Sapphire is going to have babies. Alright! Fine! I tried to breastfeed the lapis gemlings because they were cute and I was in heat! I wasn’t hurting them; Lapis didn’t need to get Jasper to pummel me like that!”

Two and a half pairs of eyes stared at her in shock. Pearl didn’t say anything, she just seethed.

“Oh my stars,” Ruby said.

“You are not going to go anywhere near my gemlings,” Sapphire said.

“I wasn’t in my right mind, you two of all gems should know what that’s like,” Amethyst said.

“If you need that kind of attention that badly you should have your own gemling,” Ruby said.

“Would that I could! You know I’m probably sterile, and I don’t even have a mate! And even if I did, I probably wouldn’t be any good at raising one anyway. I’m fine now, Jasper saw to it when she hit me until I retreated into my gem. That cancelled out my heat. I didn’t want to talk about it yet, that’s why I tried to sneak past,” Amethyst said.

“You are going to apologize to Lapis and Peridot, and then we have to find some way for you to make up for it!” Pearl yelled, grabbing Amethyst by the back of her top and dragging her away.

“Wow,” Ruby said.

“I can’t believe she’d do something like that,” Sapphire said, shaking her head.

“Ya can’t? This is Amethyst we’re talking about. We’ve known her almost as long as she’s been alive, she does things like this. And I seem to remember her trying to do the same thing with Steven when he was a baby,” Ruby said.

“So how are we going to tell Steven about the gemlings?”

“Maybe we should wait a little bit. He’s gonna want to touch you, I bet, just like with Lapis so maybe we can wait until you can feel the geodes,” Ruby said.

“Oh Ruby…do you think we can handle four gemlings?” Sapphire asked, sitting down at the table and eating the pull tab from the can of cat food.

“Sure! I’m a ruby after all and compared to the amount a ruby can have, four is nothing!” Ruby said.

“That was different. Rubies used to engage in communal childrearing since about twenty of your kind would live together all the time,” Sapphire said.

“Yeah, but we won’t be doing this alone. We’ve got Steven and the rest of the Crystal Gems to help us. Plus there’s Lars and the Off-Colours, and Lapis and Peridot, and Connie and the rest of the town,” Ruby said, sitting down next to her wife.

Chapter Text

“This way, Sapphy, I can’t wait to show you,” Ruby said, leading Sapphire into their room. She hadn’t been so excited for a long time. It had been a month, they still hadn’t told Steven about the gemlings, but they knew they’d have to before long. He had been asking constantly why they weren’t fused and there was only so long Sapphire would be able to hide her growing belly.

The pair went into their room and Sapphire gasped when she saw. During the time Sapphire had been sleeping, passing out on the couch watching Amethyst and Steven play a video game (Steven noticed she had been strangely quiet, not predicting who would win and how like usual), Ruby had made a beautiful nest out of pillows. She had spent hours trying to get it just right and she hoped Sapphire would love it.

“It’s wonderful!” Sapphire exclaimed. She hugged Ruby. “You are the most amazing mate in the world, you do everything for me, I’m so happy! It’s such a perfect place to lay my eggs!” She started crying, delighted beyond words.

“Oh Sapphy, I’m so glad you like it,” Ruby said.

Sapphire got down on her knees and rearranged a few blankets before lying down on her side and curling up. “Come rest with me, Ruby,” she said.

Ruby sat down and stroked Sapphire’s hair. “I think I’d much prefer doing this,” she said.

“Mmm...I can’t wait to bring little tiny rubies and sapphires into the world here, with you at my side, holding my hand. And then we will curl up together around our precious little eggs, waiting for our gemlings to hatch,” Sapphire said.

“May I feel your tummy, Sapphy?” Ruby asked.

“You don’t need to ask, they’re your geodes too,” Sapphire said.

Ruby poked at Sapphire’s abdomen gently, trying to feel for the eggs. Sapphire closed her eye and murred. Ruby smiled as she felt hardness, then another, all the precious little ones she had made with her wife. One, two, three…where was the last one? “I only feel three!” The red gem cried.

Sapphire took Ruby’s hand and placed it over where she knew the last geode rested. It was so tiny Ruby could barely tell it was there. It was going to be a runt; Ruby hoped it would be okay.

“Is she alive?” Ruby asked, terrified. Her wife nodded.

“She’s just small. Probably a sapphire,” Sapphire said.

“I can’t imagine someone so little. I mean, we never were gemlings. We’re both Kindergarten gems. So…if that’s a sapphire, does that mean the other two are rubies? I hope so. I want at least one little ruby so bad. Oh man, this other one worries me too. It’s big, likely a garnet. My garnets always were large. I hope you’re able to lay without problems,” Ruby said. She rested her head on Sapphire’s belly. “My little babies, nice and cozy and safe inside my Sapphy. I can’t wait until they’re born. They’re going to be so beautiful.”

Sapphire sighed happily, enjoying her wife touching her. She looked at her. “Ruby, make love to me,” she said.

“Are you sure? We’re not gonna hurt the geodes?” Ruby asked.

“It’s fine, so long as you be careful. You should know that. We used to do it when you were carrying and it’s not what killed them. Please, Ruby. It’s been too long. We haven’t been intimate since the night we made the geodes. I need it,” Sapphire said, phasing off her clothes.

Ruby got up and locked the door and silenced the room so she and Sapphire could be as loud as they wanted and Pearl wouldn’t yell at them. Then she rejoined her wife in the nest and kissed her.

“You’re so radiant, Sapphire. We’re going to be such wonderful mommies to all our children,” Ruby purred. Sapphire nuzzled her.

Ruby continued to kiss her wife for several minutes. She kissed down Sapphire’s throat, then began planting attentive kisses on her breasts. She gave a hard suck to Sapphire’s left teat. The blue gem shrieked. Ruby stopped immediately.

“Sapphy?” Ruby asked.

“Not so hard, they’re tender,” Sapphire said.

“I’m sorry!”

Sapphire flipped them so she was on top. She stared at Ruby, smirking evilly. “I can’t blame you; they just look so tempting, don’t they? You’re such a naughty little ruby, you know that? What am I going to do with you?” she said in almost a whisper. Ruby’s tentacle was straining against her clothes, but she knew better than to phase out of them. It would spoil Sapphire’s fun.

“You’re so mean, Sapphy,” Ruby said.

Sapphire crawled over and sat on Ruby’s chest. “Keep your hands at your side,” she said. She spread her labia open with her fingers, revealing her dripping vagina.

“I wish you could shapeshift right now. I would really like a blue ‘popsicle’,” Ruby said.

Sapphire smirked. “I can provide an alternative,” she purred. She slid a finger into herself, gathering nectar, and offered it to Ruby, who suckled happily. The blue gem moaned in pleasure.

“You taste so good, Sapphy,” Ruby said.

“You want more?”

“More than anything.”

Sapphire moved a little closer, letting her wife lick her. Ruby started out slow, gently probing at the blue gem’s entrance. Sapphire was sensitive, it felt good already. Ruby loved every little mewl her wife made. The red gem pushed her warm tongue inside. Sapphire cried out.

“Ah…R-Ruby…yes…more!” Sapphire cried. Her wife was happy to oblige, pushing in deeper, loving Sapphire’s taste. Something they just couldn’t do as Garnet. Much as they loved being together, there was just so much about being apart to enjoy too.

Sapphire was close, Ruby knew it, and slowed down to give her long, slow licks. Though she didn’t need to, the blue gem started breathing hard, panting like a dog complete with her tongue hanging out because she didn’t have a nose.

Ruby gave one last long lick and Sapphire came harder than she had for a long time. Her pleasured screams were music to the red gems ears. The blue gem continued to pant while she was coming down, but not as heavily.

“Can I…?” Ruby asked.

“Yeah, go ahead. Give me a minute, I’ll take care of you,” Sapphire said.

Ruby excitedly phased out of her clothes.

Chapter Text

Sapphire fidgeted around on the couch. She and Ruby had decided it was time to tell Steven about the gemlings, and they knew he’d be excited, but she was still nervous. Ruby sat with her and tried to comfort her.

“Sapphy, what’s wrong with you? Steven is going to be so happy when he hears,” Ruby said.

“When do you think they’re going to be back?” Sapphire asked, avoiding the question. She didn’t know why she was like this, and she didn’t like it. She was usually the calm one.

As if on cue: “Okay, I believe we settled that. You can’t drink alcohol out of a fire hose and not choke,” Pearl was saying as she, Amethyst, and Steven entered the house.

“What’ya know, you’re not even a real gem, just sand from a clam *hic*,” Amethyst said.

“Go lie down and think about the example you set for Steven!” Pearl snapped.

“What’s this?” Sapphire asked.

“She got bored with shopping and wandered off to where these young human men were having some kind of bizarre party and drank a lot. She’s just lucky I found her when I did, and she really needs to go lie down in her room,” Pearl said.

“Nah, I’m just gonna sleep right here,” Amethyst said, flopping down on the couch next to Ruby, resting her head on her lap. “Hi Ruby, *hic* you’re a nice pillow.”

“You would burn quite well,” Ruby snarled and pushed her off onto the floor.

“Ruby, leave her alone. Come sit down Steven, we have something we would like to talk about,” Sapphire said. She was trying to seem calm, but she was still nervous.

“What?” Steven asked.

“Okay, Steven, what’s the greatest thing that could possibly happen?” Ruby asked.

“Another Dogcoptor movie!” Steven said.

Amethyst started howling with laughter, still on the floor. Ruby kicked her. Sapphire went and got her aluminum pills and ate a few, which made her feel a bit better.

“Why are you eating ball-bearings?” Steven asked.

“They’re not. They’re aluminum, made from melted-down cans. I need them. It’s part of what we’re going to tell you,” Sapphire said. “I’m going to have geodes!”

Steven looked confused. “What are geodes?”

“They’re gem eggs, you know, like Lapis had,” Ruby said.

“Oh my gosh! Sapphire’s pregnant! I’m going to have little sisters! How far along are you? Is Ruby the father? How many gemlings are you having?” Steven exclaimed.

“Yes, I suppose you could say Ruby is the father,” Sapphire said.

“F-father?!” Ruby cried.

“Well, you kind of are, Ruby,” Sapphire said. “To answer your other questions, Steven, It’s been a month. Sapphires only carry for about five months. So you can feel the geodes if you know where to. I’m having four.”

“Is that why you haven’t been Garnet for so long?” Steven asked.

“Yes. Fusing takes a lot of energy and geodes require just as much. If we were to fuse while I’m carrying, it would kill our gemlings. I also cannot use any of my powers. No future vision. Plus I need to eat and sleep. The aluminum is necessary because Ruby and I are corundums and so will our gemlings be, and they need the minerals to develop properly,” Sapphire explained.

“What are you going to have? Are they going to be Garnets?” Steven asked.

“I think one of them is. Sapphy has a rather large egg in her. The rest will be rubies or sapphires,” Ruby said.

“Can I feel?” Steven asked. Sapphire nodded and took his hand and placed it where the large egg was.

“This is the most noticeable, but there are three others, see if you can find them all. I know where they are,” Sapphire said.

“How can ya *hic* even have rubies? I mean, wouldn’t they *hic* freeze in yer igloo?” Amethyst asked.

“I would really like to hurt you,” Ruby snarled.

“No Amethyst, they are not going to freeze in my ‘igloo’ as you so obnoxiously referred to my womb! I’m warm enough on the inside to accommodate rubies!” Sapphire snapped.

“Hi there, little gemlings. I’m your big brother Steven; I can’t wait to meet you all. We’ll have so much fun together,” Steven said, rubbing Sapphire’s belly.

“That will be a while. They’ll be the size of newborn kittens and won’t even have their eyes open for a few weeks after they hatch,” Sapphire said with a laugh.

“There haven’t even been corundum gemlings for a few thousand years, how do you know so much?” Pearl asked.

“When I was with Blue Diamond’s court, two of her other sapphires were forced to have a litter because Blue wanted more sapphires because there’s so few of us and it’s so hard to get us from kindergartens. The carrier was actually from the same kindergarten as me. They had three gemlings; I don’t know what happened to them. If I hadn’t run off with Ruby the same thing probably would’ve happened to me. I don’t like to think about it,” Sapphire said.

“Lucky saffs,” Amethyst muttered.

“Be quiet!” Ruby yelled.

“I want a gemling so bad *hic*, but I can’t make any, and Sapphy didn’t hardly even try and she’s getting four of them.”

“You can mate with Jasper, she’d appreciate you,” Ruby said smugly.

“Yeah, there’s easier ways to kill myself! She’s huge, and like she’d let me do anything! She’s the one who pummeled me into my gem right after we met Lapis n’ P-dot’s babies! And even if she didn’t you know damn well she scares the Hell outta me!” Amethyst yelled.

“Amethyst, Steven is right here, no swearing!” Pearl exclaimed.

Amethyst got up. “Whatever. I’m going to my room. Sleep this off. Cry because nobody loves me,” she said.

“We all love you very much, Amethyst. We just don’t like some of the things you do,” Pearl said. The purple gem huffed and walked out.

“Finally,” Ruby said.

“You weren’t very nice to her. I’m sure that doesn’t make her feel loved,” Sapphire said.

“She was annoying me.”

“That’s still no excuse for what you were saying and doing to her. I think I will have to talk to her once she stops being drunk,” Sapphire said.

“Hey Sapphire! I know what you need! We need to throw you a gemling shower!” Steven said.

“I can take showers just fine without being thrown, thank you,” Sapphire said.

“That’s not what it means. When human women get pregnant they have baby showers, it’s a party where all the girl's friends get her gifts to help with the baby.”

“That’s an excellent idea, Steven!” Pearl said.

“Well, I don’t know. We do still have a lot of things from when you were a baby, Steven. We can talk to your dad a about some of the things we will need. I do believe your crib is big enough for four gemlings though. You were a lot bigger than they will be,” Sapphire said.

“I love the idea of a party,” Ruby said.

“You will just have to warn Amethyst no alcohol,” Pearl said.

Chapter Text

“Don’t worry about Jasper, I can protect you,” Ruby said. She had convinced Sapphire to see Peridot and learn a little bit about gemlings. They walked, not wanting to use the warp pad not knowing if it would hurt Sapphire’s eggs.

“I’ve been doing everything right, I hope,” Sapphire said. She spent most of her time sleeping in her nest, but Ruby convinced her she needed some exercise.

As soon as they got near the barn, they heard Peridot and Lapis yelling about something. Once they got inside they saw the source of the commotion.

“Get Percy down from there! She’s gonna get hurt! I can’t believe she manifested wings this early, she’s two months old!” Peridot yelled. Percy the lapis had discovered she had wings and had flown up to the rafters. Her sisters stared, both with big eyes. They had just opened them in the last week. Percy had blue like her carrier, Piera and Paulette had green.

“Hi Ruby and Sapphire. We’ll be able to talk in a minute. I have to get my daughter down,” Lapis said, flying up to retrieve her gemling. Percy squirmed in her arms, not wanting to get put back in the nest since she had discovered her wings.

“Where’s Jasper?” Ruby asked, looking around. The orange gem was nowhere to be found.

“Peridot managed to hook up cable, and we tried it out watching the news. Apparently there was some commotion out in Little Homeworld involving quartzes and she decided to go see what was going on. Probably hoping for someone to fight,” Lapis said.

“Good,” Sapphire said. She picked up Paulette and played with her. “So cute. You’ve got your Mama Peri’s eyes, don’t you? Percy’s gem is in the same place as Peri’s, but you got the eyes. I can’t believe how adorable you are.”

“Piera is getting jealous her sisters are getting all the attention,” Peridot said.

“Give her here, I could use practice,” Ruby said.

Paulette sat on Sapphire’s lap and looked up at her. Sapphire showed the gemling her eye, which seemed to interest the little one.

“So lively for such little babies. I can only imagine ours will be calmer, they’ll be half sapphire,” Ruby said.

“Oh, I don’t know. They might inherit your energy,” Sapphire said.

“Lapis, pay up. I told you they were having gemlings if Sapphire was asking about the vitamins. So which one of you is pregnant?” Peridot asked. She looked fascinated.

“I am. Ruby is never going to carry again,” Sapphire said.

“Grats,” Peridot said.

“I want to hug you, but I worry Ruby will tear my arms off,” Lapis said.

“What are you hoping for, rubies or sapphires?” Peridot asked.

“I don’t care as long as they’re healthy,” Sapphire said.

“I hope for at least one ruby, but I’ll love them even if we get all sapphires,” Ruby said, “although I’m almost sure one of them is a garnet. I worry about Sapphire. I had five garnets, but only one of them was full-term and it was hard, if I hadn’t laid eggs before I don’t know how I would’ve been able to do it.”

“That’s why Lapis carried. She’s bigger, and she didn’t want to risk me having an egg too big to lay. We wondered if it was possible to have a fusion, even though we didn’t get any,” Peridot said. “Anyway, during the whole process, I learned everything I could. And I already know a lot from working with the kindergartens. I’m a regular reproductive specialist, I’m sure I know something that can help you two.”

“We also worried quite a bit about Jasper eating our gemlings. She said if I sire one with her next time she’ll leave them alone. It makes me sick to think about it, but I’d do anything to protect my daughters,” Lapis said.

“Quartzes. You never know how they’re going to enrage you next. You won’t believe how Amethyst was acting the other day,” Ruby said.

“Nothing surprises me about that clod,” Peridot said.

“Amethyst doesn’t try to cause problems. She’s just impulsive as anything and is very lonely and depressed that she can’t have her own gemlings. With you two having them and the fact that I’m going to just drives it home to her,” Sapphire said.

“I don’t think many of the amethysts are fertile. We didn’t design them to be. Of course you never know with Earth gems. I mean, Jasper certainly can form eggs. She has before, good thing she doesn’t have a mate,” Peridot said.

“Last thing this world needs is more jaspers,” Lapis said. “There needs to be more lapises, yeah, that would be nice. Almost all of us were shattered.”

“Amethyst and her sisters are technically era one gems, so some of them may be capable of being carriers,” Sapphire said.

“Not yours. Last time she was here she insisted I examine her. She’s completely barren. It’s partially because of her size and the fact that she was late, but mostly because kindergarten amethysts are meant to fight not reproduce,” Peridot said.

“Could you examine me? I want to be sure my gemlings are okay,” Sapphire said.

“It’s kinda early. At this point I won’t be able to tell much of anything, they’re just starting to form. And you’re going to have to wait until you lay the eggs to know whether they’re rubies or sapphires. But yeah, I made a machine with my tablet and limb enhancers I can use, maybe we can see something,” Peridot said.

“We tracked all five of mine on it. There didn’t seem to be any problems, I don’t know why we lost two eggs,” Lapis said sadly.

“It won’t hurt, will it? I won’t let Sapphy do it if it hurts,” Ruby said.

“Not at all, she won’t feel a thing. Come over here, Sapphire,” Peridot said.

XX

“I told you we should’ve gone to the temple instead,” said a red quartz to one of her amethyst companions.

“We had to get the humans acclimated. It shouldn’t be too hard to find 8XM, there are only so many places around here where gems would live,” the amethyst said.

“We know where she lives. I’m more interested in finding my sister,” Carnelian said.

“Maybe she’ll find you!” Said the amethyst as another one of them came running with Jasper right behind her, yelling at her to stay and fight like a quartz.

“Leave 7XK alone!” An amethyst with a bundle in her arms yelled.

“I’m fine, 8XG. As for you, Jasper, I’m not going to fight. We want to find 8XM, you know where she is,” 7XK said.

“I’ll think about taking you to her if you’ll fight me. I’m in a good mood, so I’ll consider not killing you,” Jasper said.

“Hi Jasper!” Carnelian said excitedly. Skinny Jasper, who was next to her, waved.

Jasper smirked seeing her sisters. “I thought all the other Betas had been shattered,” she said.

“Just most of us,” Skinny said.

“We lived with the amethysts and Holly Blue. She’s around here somewhere too, all upset that Blue Diamond dismissed her and told her to take the humans home at Steven’s request. It’s kinda good to be home, we’ve decided we’re gonna live here in Little Homeworld, but we want to see 8XM,” Carnelian said.

“That overcooked little runt. You’re not much better, but you’re a Beta and I’d never hurt one of my sisters,” Jasper said. She turned back to 7XK “So amethyst, we gonna fight or what?”

Chapter Text

Sapphire was used to being treated like a princess. She had been since she had been created. Other members of Blue Diamond’s court always were nice to her. Ruby had certainly always been nothing but wonderful to her.

But now, it was getting rather ridiculous.

Sapphire could barely move and there Ruby would be, asking her if she needed anything. Pearl wouldn’t let her do much of anything either. As for Amethyst? She mostly just made jokes until Sapphire reminded her that she herself was plump and not for the same reason. Sapphire was hardly even showing yet, anyway, so it especially wasn’t funny.

“The scan was really interesting. Peridot said that there wasn’t much to tell yet, but there were four light spots inside Sapphy, and that’s what we want to see and all because it means they’re alive,” Ruby said. They had gotten back an hour ago and Ruby would not shut up. Sapphire wanted to go to sleep in her nest, but that could wait until after she had found something to eat, even though she felt sick and didn’t know if she’d be able to keep anything down.

“I wish I could’ve seen!” Steven exclaimed.

“Maybe we can take you next time! I don’t see any harm in it,” Ruby said.

“If Sapphire agrees, that would be fine,” Pearl said.

The doorbell rang. Several times. Someone kept on pushing the button.

“Who on Earth could that be? Hang on, I’m coming,” Pearl said. As soon as she opened the door, a red blur ran past. It was Carnelian, looking all around for Amethyst.

“Where’s 8XM?! Jasper said this was where she lived!”

“Wait, we know you. You’re the carnelian from Beta Kindergarten! When did you come to Earth?” Steven asked.

“Just the other day. I and the rest are moving out to Little Homeworld because Blue Diamond dismissed Holly and told her to take the humans back here,” Carnelian said. “I’ve got about half a dozen amethysts outside that keep yammering about seeing 8XM. We know she lives here, where is she?”

“Amethyst? I’ll go get her. Ruby chased her off to her room for making some rude comment about Sapphire,” Pearl said.

Carnelian flopped down on the couch. “So, what’s there to do around here? I spent all day watching Jasper beat various amethysts half to death. I’ve never seen a quartz so happy, but I couldn’t get involved so it got boring fast,” she said.

“What about the amethysts outside? Are you just going to leave them alone?” Sapphire asked, eating a few of her aluminum pills. She looked absolutely miserable. Ruby gently carried her into the temple so she could rest in her nest.

“8XG has all the entertainment a bunch of amethysts could want. By the looks of the sapphire, these guys will pretty soon too,” Carnelian muttered to herself after Ruby had left.

“If you would just keep stop making fat jokes about Sapphire Ruby wouldn’t get mad and threaten you!” Pearl said as she returned with Amethyst.

The purple gem spotted the other quartz. “Carnie!” she yelled happily. Carnelian jumped up and ran to her.

“Hi 8XM! We moved to Earth. Come on, your sisters want to see you! They’ve got something to show you!” Carnelian said, picking up Amethyst and carrying her outside. Steven followed; he wanted to see the amethysts too.

8XJ, 8XL, 8XG, Chip, 7XK, and Sharky were waiting. 8XG still had something in her arms, but Amethyst couldn’t see what it was. Jasper was lounging on the porch, Skinny curled up with her.

“8XM! You’re looking well!” J said, gathering the small amethyst into her arms and hugging her hard.

“Don’t hog M all to yourself, she’s our sister too,” L said.

“You’re squeezing the life outta me…” Amethyst complained, struggling against her much larger sister.

“Let her go, I’ve got something I want to show her anyway,” G said. J released her sister. “Sit down, and for stars sake, be gentle.”

The big amethyst placed what she had been carrying around in her sister’s arms. Amethyst gasped when she saw. It was a tiny amethyst gemling, probably only a few days old.

“She’s mine and 7XK’s. I hoped she’d wait until we got to Earth to hatch. I wanted her to emerge on the same planet we did, but she came out on the ship three days ago. I know we need to call her something, but we don’t know what and hoped you might have some ideas,” G said.

“I don’t know if you should trust her considering what she did to the last two gemlings she held,” Jasper said.

“Be quiet about that, I wasn’t in my right mind,” Amethyst growled.

“Yeah, you guys should hear it. It’s really quite amusing. There’s this lapis and peridot that I kinda live with, and a couple of months ago they had a litter of their own. So they go and talk to the obnoxious ruby and sapphire that live here. Meanwhile, they left their lapis gemlings with this little runt,”—points at Amethyst—“and she decides it would be a great idea to try and nurse the little brats. She got caught, and I got to give her something to think about for a good long time.” Jasper said.

“So? We’ve all taken turns feeding this gemling over the last few days. Even I have once, and I’m not even an amethyst,” Carnelian said.

“She needs it every three hours, and I’m exhausted,” G said.

“We’re quartzes, we take care of each other,” L added.

“It’s a practical use for our shapeshifting,” J said.

“And it feels good,” Chip said.

“Could I try? I’d have to shapeshift and all, but she is my niece too,” Amethyst asked.

“Sure. It would give me time for a rest,” G said.

Amethyst shapeshifted just enough to lactate. This was the first time she had done this, though she knew it was possible. It was the closest she’d get to feeding her own gemling.

It was the closest she’d get to do a lot of things with a gemling.

Amethyst looked at her niece and the truth hit her again. She was sterile. She’d never feel an egg growing inside her. She would never have a nest. She’d never watch her very own amethyst gemling hatch. She wouldn’t get to hold a little violet infant in her arms that she had made. She couldn’t give the little one she was currently nursing cousins to play with.

“Hey, are you okay?” Chip asked.

Amethyst shook her head and started to cry. “Her n-name should be Amy. Th-th-that’s what I’d call my gemling…if I could have one,” she said.

Chapter Text

Sapphire was miserable again. She had been getting sick for about as long as when the Famethyst had shown up, which had been a month ago. Her gemlings were growing; she could feel the eggs shift inside her sometimes. Ruby would not leave her side, especially when she felt bad like this.

“It will go away. Remember, I was like this too when I carried,” Ruby said. Sapphire was lying on her side in the nest, trying to sleep. She had bad morning sickness, and when she wasn’t sick she was sore.

“Leave me alone Ruby. Go play video games with Steven or something,” Sapphire hissed.

“Not a chance. I have to be here for you,” her wife purred. “C’mere Sapphy. I’ll give you a back rub, and you’ll feel all better.”

XX

“Be careful, you’re going to drop that,” Steven said, directing a few gems with gifts. He had arranged Sapphire’s gemling shower, inviting every gem he could, along with a few humans like Connie and Lars and Sadie. A small orange sapphire carried a gift box bigger than she was.

“Let me at those snacks!” Carnelian yelled. She and Amethyst had become best friends. Amethyst taught her all about eating everything. Steven had set out all kinds of chips and fruit and ordered a cake (and Bismuth had brought more aluminum pills since Sapphire was out).

“Save some for me!” Amethyst cried.

“Not yet. We have to wait for Sapphire and Ruby,” Pearl said, holding both little quartzes back.

“I hope Ruby can keep Sapphire occupied long enough for us to set this all up,” Steven said.

“Sapphire has not been feeling well. I hope this will lift her spirits.”

“I predict I will get invited to a party I don’t know the real intention of!” The little sapphire said.

“We told you already, Padparadscha. We’re bringing gifts for a friend of Steven’s who is a sapphire just like you to help her with her gemlings,” Lars said.

“How wonderful! I have never seen gemlings before, and it has been a long time since I’ve seen another sapphire!”

“The gemlings haven’t been born yet, we’re just getting everything ready, and I think it’s done now,” Steven said.

“She can come over here and play with mine,” Lapis said. She and Peridot were sitting with 8XG, watching their gemlings wrestle and play. Amy, being an amethyst, was bigger than the three older gemlings. At least she wasn’t too rough on them, especially with Percy having to be leashed to her carrier’s arm to keep from flying all over the house which made it hard for her to escape if things got out of hand.

“It’s the garnet who is going to have the gemlings, isn’t it? I noticed she wasn’t here,” Rhodonite said.

“Usually. They’re Ruby and Sapphire right now because Sapphire said if they fused while she was carrying it would shatter their gemlings,” Steven said.

“I wouldn’t know, I never had any. My pearl saw it once, but we never had any of our own, and now it’s for the best that we didn’t,” the fusion said.

“Ruby and Sapphire have had trouble for centuries with it,” Pearl said.

Ruby and Sapphire came out of their room. Sapphire looked much better than she had earlier. They stood and stared at all their friends and all the nice gifts.

“I told you, you didn’t need to go to so much trouble for us,” Sapphire said, although she was clearly very happy. Padparadscha looked at her, grinning.

“I predict I will meet another sapphire, and she will be beautiful!” The smaller sapphire cried. She ran over.

“An off-colour sapphire. Oh stars, you’re so cute,” Sapphire said. Padparadscha blushed.

“You’re cuter,” Ruby said, hugging Sapphire.

“A ruby guard! I never had any ruby guards of my very own, because I was supposed to be shattered,” Padparadscha said.

“I used to be part of Blue Diamond’s court, I had several ruby guards. Ruby is the only one who survived, and she’s more than just a ruby guard, she’s my wife,” Sapphire said.

“What does that mean?”

Sapphire smiled. “It means she is my mate. My everything. We are one, even when we’re unfused. We are part of each other, and we love each other like no other. I would do anything for her. Ruby is the sire of the gemlings I carry,” she said.

“I don’t understand anything about mates and gemlings. I’ve never had either, and nobody would want a defective sapphire,” the little sapphire said.

“You’re still young. Homeworld has changed because of Steven. He can make sure nobody would shatter you. If you went back, maybe you could find a nice sapphire to be your mate.”

“I don’t want to go back to Homeworld. I’m happy here, and I don’t want another sapphire as a mate. They’re better as sisters. Will you be my big sister?” Padparadscha asked.

“Of course you can consider me your sister.”

Padparadscha hugged Sapphire. “I’ll be your sister too!” Ruby said, and joined in the group hug.

“I predict that a ruby and sapphire like me!”

“…that’s not a prediction. Do you not have future sight?” Sapphire said.

“She sees the past. That’s why Homeworld wanted her shattered, and talking to her can be kind of weird,” Lars said. “She has a tendency to repeat what was said right back to you. I don’t think she can control it.”

“I predict that the small quartzes have gotten into the food already!”

“Amethyst, I told you and your friend to wait to have the snacks!” Pearl yelled.

“Hey, Ruby and Sapphire are here, so that means the party has started and we can eat!” Amethyst shot back. She and Carnelian had already eaten everything in the vicinity that even looked edible.

“What about this? Is it food?” Carnelian asked, holding a silica packet.

“It says ‘do not eat’, but it also says ‘non-toxic’, so the first thing seems to just be a suggestion!” Amethyst replied.

Carnelian got into the detergent next. “And these things look like candy! Why else would they be brightly coloured?”

“Good thing they’re not human,” Bismuth whispered to Pearl.

“They are going to set such bad examples for our gemlings,” Sapphire said. Padparadscha started poking at her belly, curious why she was so rounded. “You can feel, but be nice, there are eggs in there.”

“I felt something move!” Padparadscha cried, alarmed.

“Yes, they shift. Be gentle, I don’t want you to hurt my gemlings,” Sapphire said calmly.

“How did they get in there?”

Ruby was starting to get annoyed with the little sapphire touching her wife. “I’ll tell you when you’re older. Why don’t you go play Clairvoyant Corundum with Steven over there?”

“She’s not hurting me, Ruby. She’s just curious. I don’t think she’s ever seen anyone who was pregnant before,” Sapphire said.

“Since Amethyst and Carnelian demolished the refreshments, maybe you should open the gifts now,” Pearl said. She seemed a little too excited, but nobody but Sapphire seemed to notice, and she knew it couldn’t be bad.

Sapphire sat on the couch, Ruby sat next to her and purred. Cat Steven came in and sat on Ruby’s lap, she also started purring when Ruby petted her.

Connie went first: “I brought you a baby book. You can record all the milestones for your gemlings. You know, when they take their first steps, when they say their first words, that kind of stuff,” she said.

Next came Lapis and Peridot: “I managed to compile all the research I made on gemlings and Lapis helped me put it all together and print it off so you can read it, kind of like the pregnancy book we got from the library when she first found out we were going to be parents,” Peridot said.

“At least we won’t be bored, we’ll have something to read,” Sapphire said.

The Famethyst: “We didn’t have much time to think of anything, but I do have some extra bottles which I don’t need because I have a few dozen other amethysts perfectly willing to wet nurse,” 8XG said.

“But we did make this for you!” 8XL said, handing Sapphire a piece of paper. It read: “This certificate is proof that Ruby and Sapphire are honourary members of the Famethyst and are under our protection. Anyone who messes with them messes with us.”

“For powerful warriors, you guys are total softies,” Ruby said.

The off-colours had brought a huge playpen full of toys that Padparadscha and Rhodonite had convinced everyone rubies and sapphires would love. Sapphire sorted through all of them, assuring the fusion and little sapphire it was perfect.

“Our gift is next!” Padparadscha announced as soon as Sapphire had looked at everything.

Pearl excitedly handed Sapphire a little box. It contained a beautiful blanket, the same colour as Garnet with the pattern of ruby and sapphire gems on it. “I made it for your gemlings. Steven always liked his blanket. I didn’t know what else to give you,” she said.

“It’s wonderful! You are so talented. I wish I could make something so nice,” Sapphire said. Pearl was so pleased they liked it.

“Alright, come in here, we want to show you what we did!” Bismuth announced. Ruby and Sapphire followed her into the other room.

“Amethyst and I fixed up Steven’s old crib. The red quartz painted it red and blue and it actually looks decent. It was kind of weird not working with something that wasn’t metal. Amethyst made a mobile. Thank my two helpers too, wherever they got off to,” Bismuth said.

Jasper’s gift was simply promising she wouldn’t eat any of the gemlings as long as they stayed away from her. It was more than anyone expected from her.

Once they had seen everything, Ruby and Sapphire were sure everything was going to go right. And it had, except one thing:

Bismuth was right, Amethyst and Carnelian were nowhere to be seen.

Chapter Text

“Do you really think it’s okay we left the party?” Carnelian asked.

“I’m sure Bismuth explained that we helped her with the crib. I wanted to show you my room, because it’s so cool and we’re friends now so you should get to see it,” Amethyst said sitting on her bed with legs dangling. Carnelian was digging through her junk piles.

“You mean your hoard. Sheesh, you are just like the other amethysts. The rest of your sisters are just like this. Holly kept yelling at them for all the inexplicable things they kept finding,” Carnelian said, “of course, that bitch yelled at everyone. It was what she did for fun. She’s lucky we brought her along to Earth and didn’t just up and leave without her. I’m glad she refused the invitation to the party, she would’ve ruined it. I just know she would’ve said something offensive to the sapphire.”

“She’s prolly just still mad about Sapphire deceiving her before,” Amethyst said.

“I like Sapphire and I’m glad she did what she did. The amethysts got to meet their little sister, and I got to find out I’m not the smallest of the quartzes! We all love you so much, M, I was just joking about the hoard. I have one too! Skinny keeps threatening to clean our rooms. She acts more like a pearl than a jasper, for sure,”

Amethyst laid back on her bed. “Sooo…I don’t think anyone is going anywhere anytime soon. I hear the sapphires, they’re both singing, and Jasper is going to make a scene and keep everyone occupied. Want to screw around?”

“I dunno. We’ve both spent a lot of time around Amy and G’s pheromones. I’m going to go into heat soon and will have to go home and isolate myself. I don’t know that I want a gemling right now, especially not from just a casual hookup,” Carnelian said.

“Don’t worry about that. Nothing will happen if we bang. I’m infertile! I don’t have eggs and I don’t even think I can sire! I want a gemling like crazy and I’m the only gem around here that can’t even have one! I’m sure you saw the lapis and her three, and that ruby out there that’s married to the sapphire? She’s been pregnant before herself, even though she lost her kids. And I’m sure Pearl could have gemlings if she wanted to! And I’m not a casual hookup, we’re friends!” Amethyst yelled, punching a pillow repeatedly.

“I’m not sure if I can have any or not, but I’d rather not risk it. We didn’t know any of us could until G got knocked up. I mean, we have orgies constantly and nobody ever got pregnant before that, and Holly said that quartzes as sires used to have a 90 percent rate of impregnation so we thought we all had to be sterile if nothing ever came from it. I like gemlings and all, but I’d worry about them coming out like me,” Carnelian said.

“You’re great; I’m the one who sucks. If I could have a gemling she would probably be late and stunted like me.”

“Better than the eggs coming out sideways like I did! That would kill ya!”

“Why are we arguing? We’re friends, and I’ve never slept with another quartz before so this will be fun!”

Carnelian climbed onto the bed and cuddled with the purple gem. “Heh, I’ve only been with quartzes. I’ve nailed every amethyst in the gang numerous times…except for you. Never the jaspers. Hot as Skinny is, she’s my sister. We don’t mate for life, love is free for quartzes. 7XK was just lucky. Did you silence the room? There are gemlings and human kids around,” she said.

“Yeah, I’m not stupid. Pearl yells at me enough for my behaviour. We can hear them a bit, but they can’t hear us,” Amethyst said. “So…which one of us gets to go first?”

“Me, of course; I’m older and bigger.”

“It’s my room!”

“Exactly! I’m the guest!”

“I’m the baby!”

“I have more experience with amethysts! I can make you very happy!”

“I’ll fight you for it if you want!”

“There’s a better way to settle this,” Carnelian said, phasing off her clothes. Her tentacle was out, moving of its own accord. “Not as big as my sister Jasper’s, but still nice. Let’s see yours.”

Amethyst followed suit, smirking. “Yours is a little longer, but mine is thicker,” she said.

“Oh yeah, baby. That’s gonna feel good in me. Your tits are bigger too.”

“All from shapeshifting, you can make yours bigger n’ mine if you want to. As I tell Steven, shapeshifting solves all of life’s problems.”

“C’mon, M. You know you want me. I know all the places that drive amethysts wild,” Carnelian said, pushing Amethyst back and straddling her.

“Alright, you can go first,” Amethyst said, cupping the red gem’s large breasts. Carnelian leaned forward and planted a kiss on the smaller quartz’s gem. “Hehe, do that again!”

“You have to earn it,” Carnelian said in a fake-taunting voice. “If M wants Carnie to make her feel good, M has to make Carnie feel good.”

Amethyst began kneading, rubbing the dark red nipples with her thumbs. She took one in her mouth and began suckling away like a gemling. Carnelian was still lactating, but that was likely on purpose.

“Why this amuses us so much, I’ll never know,” Carnelian said. Amethyst pulled her down on top of her so she could have easier access. The red gem’s hardening tentacle rubbed against the smaller quartz’s thighs. Amethyst opened her legs to let it slide against her. Carnelian pulled away, dislodging Amethyst from her completely.

“I told you, you have to earn it,” Carnelian hissed.

“Aw, c’mon,” Amethyst said.

“You haven’t done anything. I’m not even fully hard yet, I can’t plow you like this. You have to get me good and ready. Then you’ll get the ride of your life,” Carnelian said.

“Okay. Lie on your back and let me at that pussy! They should call you Carnal-ian,” Amethyst said excitedly. Carnelian smirked at the wordplay and obliged the other gem. Amethyst crawled down in front of her and moved her tentacle out of the way. “You weren’t kidding; you obviously have been with a lot of gems. Man, I’ve just been with a few humans, one of them a woman, and one time a peridot.”

“Yeah, and most amethysts are huge in more than one sense. Don’t be upset, you’re good too. I like you a lot, 8XM,” Carnelian said.

“I’m the only amethyst in here right now, so you don’t have to call me by my real name. You can just call me Amethyst. That’s what I go by to everyone else,” Amethyst purred before she leaned in and gave the red quartz’s slit a kiss.

“Yes, Amethyst,” Carnelian said in a husky voice as Amethyst prodded her hole with her tongue, not yet pushing inside, but teasing. The purple gem was getting lost in the wonderful world of quartz, and she didn’t want to ever leave, the red gem tasted amazing, a little like cinnamon. She stroked the taller gem’s tentacle as she lapped, coaxing it to full hardness. It was warm; Amethyst couldn’t wait to feel it inside her. Carnelian was squealing and giggling, thrashing around and nearly kicked Amethyst in the face.

“Watch it! And stay still. You’re eager, I like that,” Amethyst said before diving back in, finally pushing her tongue inside. The shorter gem had only performed cunnilingus a few times before, so she hoped she was doing it well. Judging by the noises Carnelian was making, she was. Amethyst ran her tongue across the red gem’s searing hot pussy.

“That’s right. Keep it up and I am going to completely wreck you,” Carnelian growled in pleasure. Amethyst smirked and began tracing her name across the taller gem’s entrance. A-M-E-T-H-Y-S-T

F-A-C-E-T

F-I-V-E

But before she got to “eight” Carnelian yelled “Stop!”

Amethyst looked at her. “Was I doing it wrong?” she asked.

“No, it was so good. Too good. I want to finish in you. You earned the privilege to have me,” Carnelian said. Amethyst looked rather pleased with herself and crawled back up next to the other gem. The red gem tackled her, pinning her down and rubbing her tentacle against her dripping vagina. Carnelian gave her younger partner a toothy grin and sheathed herself inside in one thrust.

Amethyst screamed, she had never felt anything so amazing. She didn’t know why she had never slept with another quartz before. Carnelian was bigger than anyone else she had had before too. The red gem licked Amethyst’s gem, which was wonderful.

“I like big juicy amethyst titties,” Carnelian purred, kneading and squeezing Amethyst’s breasts as she thrust in and out slowly. “Everything about you is just so soft. You’re just too cute. A tiny amethyst with a cute little plump belly…”—Carnelian rubbed Amethyst’s tummy—“And such nice thick thighs…”—she squeezed the purple gem’s thighs.—“And the tits are so nice, they deserve mentioning again. You’ve got a cute face too.”

“You’re not bad yourself,” Amethyst said. “Oh yes! Right there, that’s the spot!” she cried. Carnelian, encouraged, sped up within her. The red quartz had already been stimulated; she wasn’t going to last much longer.

Just as she was about to finish, the door opened. “There you two are, 8XG has been looking for…oh my stars, what are you two doing?!” Pearl cried.

Amethyst looked at the door to see Pearl and 8XG standing there, staring daggers into them. The other amethyst had opened the door with her gem.

“It’s…kinda Carnelian’s turn to feed my child,” 8XG said sheepishly.

“Give me a few minutes…I think we’re stuck here for a few minutes,” Carnelian said, trying to pull out of Amethyst and finding herself unable to.

“…We’d better get back to the party,” Pearl said.

Chapter Text

“It was such a lovely party. Steven and everyone went all out for us, I’m happy,” Sapphire said, resting in her nest later, Ruby next to her as always.

“Our babies are going to be so loved,” Ruby agreed.

“About 11 more weeks and we’re going to be taking care of eggs…Mmm…” Sapphire said, rubbing her belly, feeling her little eggs shift inside her. “Hello little rubies and sapphires and garnet. We had a busy day, didn’t we?”

“Oh man, when Pearl caught Amethyst and Carnelian…” Ruby said with a laugh.

“You’re not mad at them?”

Ruby placed her hand over her wife’s. “Meh, can’t blame them, if they want to be mates that’s their concern. Hey, I just wondered something. Do you think baby sapphires can see the future while they’re still in eggs inside their mommy?” she asked.

“Not at this point, but maybe when they’re a little bigger,” Sapphire said.

“This is real. We’re going to be mothers. You’re so cute with a tummy full of my eggs,” Ruby purred, rubbing the blue gem’s belly happily. Sapphire sighed contentedly.

“Talk to them, they like it,” Sapphire said.

“What do I say?”

“Anything you want. If you’re lucky, you’ll feel them move.”

Ruby rested her head on her wife’s middle, still rubbing at the same time. “Hi babies. I’m your Mama Ruby. I can’t wait to meet you all,” she said.

“Mmm…” Sapphire moaned.

“I wonder so much about you all. Are you rubies or sapphires? I know in my heart one of you is a garnet…” the red gem continued.

“Either that or twin gemlings, but I think you’re right,” Sapphire said. She began humming to herself.

“Are you going to look like me or Sapphy? Will you be afraid when you see Garnet instead of us? Maybe we should be Garnet when you all hatch, get you imprinted on her, even though you’ll be born blind,” Ruby went on.

“You are enjoying this,” Sapphire said with a laugh.

“Don’t tell me you’re not,” Ruby replied.

“Keep going. It’s really sweet. You’re going to be a wonderful father.”

Ruby hissed. “I really wish you’d stop calling me that. Steven doesn’t understand, but from you it’s just disturbing,” she said.

“I’m sorry, I was just joking. Seriously though, keep talking to them. It felt good, and I like hearing you be so sweet. Once they get bigger, they’ll be able to hear you and they’ll recognize your voice when they hatch and know that you’re their mother,” Sapphire said.

“I still think we should have them imprint on Garnet so they won’t be afraid of her. We can modify her to be able to feed them. We’ve modified her before. I’ve missed Garnet so much,” Ruby said.

“They are her gemlings too, it’s a good idea,” Sapphire said.

“Ya hear that, kids, you’ve got three mothers,” Ruby said, going right back to talk to the gemlings. Sapphire stroked Ruby’s head. “I really do hope at least one of you is a ruby, even though I’ll love you no matter what, even if the large egg contains twins and we end up with five beautiful sapphires. Oh my stars Sapphy! I just imagined five little chirping versions of you. Tiny baby sapphires so small we can hold them in the palms of our hands, wouldn’t that be adorable?”

“Five sapphires would be easy. They’d be nice and quiet and calm, but I don’t think it’s going to be that way. I think you’re getting your ruby; one of the smaller ones is pretty active. The one we think is a garnet doesn’t even move around so much,” Sapphire said.

“I feel her! She’s telling you how nice and cozy it is inside you and how happy she is that we made her and her sisters and how she can’t wait to meet us, aren’t you, you precious little thing?”

“I hope that big one comes out last, so I’ll be already stretched out to lay it and it won’t risk the other eggs. The thought of it getting stuck inside me scares the Hell out of me,” Sapphire said.

“Watch your language around the children,” Ruby joked. Sapphire giggled. “Hey Sapphy, you want my red-hot tonight?”

“No thanks. We don’t need to do it every night. It’s nice to just lie here together and cuddle. We’re not going to have many chances like this once the gemlings arrive,” Sapphire said.

“You’re right. I just like snuggling with my wife and our babies,” Ruby purred, her head still rested on Sapphire’s belly. She started purring like a cat again, and the two fell asleep together.

XX

Ruby knew this nightmare. She had had it often. It wasn’t more of a nightmare than a horrible memory. And she knew no matter what she did she was going to have to relive it again. It always started like this, her and Sapphire hiding in their cave again from gems that would love nothing more than to shatter the little red gem. She had no control over the dream, she would just have to sit and watch as the most horrible moments of her life replayed again. It was times like this she really missed being part of Garnet. Garnet did not sleep, so bad dreams were a non-issue. Normally, Sapphire wouldn’t even sleep even though she needed it and did now. Ruby wondered what her wife dreamed about.

“I am lost. Is there no place where we can go?” Sapphire said. She looked flushed and was panting like a dog.

“Are you okay? You’re panting,” Ruby said.

“I’m not ‘okay’. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be ‘okay’ again! I have never run away from my path,” the blue gem said.

“Who cares about before? We can make our own path. C’mon, relax. You don’t look so well.”

“BE QUIET RUBY!” Sapphire screeched.

“Stars, I have never seen a sapphire to have such a quick temper,” Ruby said.

“I’m sorry, it’s just...why couldn’t you just have let me be shattered? I had accepted it. You would’ve been reassigned to a better sapphire,” Sapphire said.

“There is no better sapphire. I couldn’t just let you die like that. I probably would’ve been shattered anyway, either by the rebels or for failing to guard you. Don’t beat yourself up over it. If I have to be on the run, I’m glad it’s with you,” Ruby said, taking Sapphire’s hand. “Your gem is just burning up. I’m the fire gem.”

Sapphire kissed her passionately, out of nowhere. Ruby didn’t mind. It just seemed so right, even after all that had happened. She picked up a scent like nothing she had ever smelled before. Floral, clean, incredibly sweet. So out of place in their little cave with nothing but the fire. Stars, the blue gem was so beautiful…

It dawned on Ruby then. Sapphire was in heat. Ruby knew her own cycle was coming up but she didn’t think of it because she had never heard of two different kinds of gems mating. Sapphire probably had a sapphire mate lined up for her already, but by the stars, Ruby wanted the ice gem. She herself had only been with other rubies, and they smelled like the bonfire burning in the cave at that moment when they were in heat. And Sapphire had no nose so she wouldn’t notice even if there was no other fire.

“Do you think it could work? Could we actually be together?” Ruby asked.

“We’ll figure things out as we go,” Sapphire said.

Against their better judgement, that was the night they first mated. And the night the real trouble started.

Ruby knew what was coming next, and she desperately wanted to wake up, but she couldn’t. She wished Sapphire could sense her distress and wake her up from the nightmare.

“We need to find somewhere new to hide. There are eight of them. I foresee two sapphires, four rubies, and two of the fusion. The cave isn’t big enough for eight gemlings,” Sapphire said. It was two months later. Ruby was heavy with a large clutch of eggs, and neither gem knew what they were going to do about it.

“I’ve been with so many rubies and I never so much as formed eggs. Then one time with a sapphire and I get knocked up. Great,” Ruby said.

“Are you not happy?” Sapphire asked.

“You’re not. I can tell.”

“It’s a continuing reminder of why I can never go home, but I can’t hate the gemlings. It’s not their fault. It’s mine. You were my first, you know that? Why didn’t I see this coming?”

“We were in heat, we weren’t in our right minds,” Ruby said.

“That doesn’t excuse my actions. Where are we going to go? If Homeworld finds out we had gemlings, it won’t just be you who gets shattered! They’ll kill the whole litter! Natural reproduction has been outlawed for a long time except in special cases, and even then they’re always the same kind of gem that’s paired together. We’re going to bring our daughters into a world that is out to get them,” Sapphire said.

“I feel them move. I love them already, I can’t hurt them. As you said before we slept together, we’ll figure something out,” Ruby said.

Sapphire rubbed at her, murring and humming. “What does it feel like? There are so many, you have to feel something,” she said.

“It’s nothing I can explain. You’d have to feel it for yourself. Would you like to?” Ruby asked.

“What are you talking about?”

“Fuse with me again. Then you’ll be able to feel our little ones forming too,” Ruby said. Ruby dreaded nothing more than this part; this was where it had all gone wrong.

As soon as they had fused, the pain began. It felt as fresh and as real as when it had happened, even as just a memory. The terror of their geodes losing their connection to Ruby, the hopelessness as the fusion faltered and the two gems were thrown apart.

And then, the pain of Ruby going into premature labour and laying eight dead geodes while Sapphire bawled.

XX

“Ruby! Ruby! Calm down, you’re screaming, it’s okay! Nothing is going to hurt you!” Sapphire cried, holding her wife to her. Ruby sobbed into Sapphire’s chest. “Did you have the dream again?”

Ruby nodded. “It still hurts,” she said.

“It’s okay. I’m here for you, and nothing is going to hurt these little ones. We’ll make sure of it,” Sapphire said.

Chapter Text

“No, Sapphire. You heard Pearl, you can’t come. It’s too dangerous, and we don’t want anything to happen to you or our babies. You can’t use your powers anyway. Just stay here with Steven, he can find something fun for you to do. We’ll be fine, Amethyst found Carnelian and 8XL as backup,” Ruby said.

“But there’s not much corruption anymore. Why would it be dangerous? This is just obviously just minor, likely retrieval; otherwise you’d bring Steven along! What is going to happen without a leader?” Sapphire complained. She was four months pregnant and cranky; at least the morning sickness had gone away.

“We’re only the leader when we’re Garnet. Pearl can lead today. And we’re not sure what is going on, but we’ll be fine. When I come home later I’ll do anything you want,” Ruby promised.

“Don’t worry Sapphire! We can find something fun to do and make Ruby sorry she missed it!” Steven said, pulling at her arm. The blue gem ignored him and laid down on the couch once the others left and hugged a pillow. “C’mon Sapphire. You can’t just mope around the house all day. We could go into town, get something to eat. Or maybe we could visit the off-colours, or go see Peridot and Lapis. Lapis says Jasper isn’t around very often anymore so maybe you won’t have to worry about her.”

“I don’t feel like doing anything, I miss Ruby,” Sapphire said.

“Ruby will be back soon, and she would want you to have fun while she’s out,” Steven said.

Sapphire managed to get up. “Okay, I’m up. What are we going to do?” she asked.

“We could go out to Little Homeworld and see the amethysts. One of them has a baby and could give you advice,” Steven suggested.

“No thanks. They’re nice gems, but they’re a little too huggy and I don’t want to be touched right now,” Sapphire said.

“What about going to the barn and visiting Lapis and Peridot and their gemlings?”

“I’d rather not. Peridot thinks I’m a science project. The eggs are fine, you know I got examined last week, you were with us!”

“You’re no fun.”

“I’m uncomfortable. The eggs don’t make life easy. Just a few more weeks…” Sapphire said.

“Let’s go get some pizza. It’s lunchtime,” Steven said.

“Okay, I can handle that,” Sapphire agreed.

Sapphire was not used to going out into town as herself. She missed Ruby, but she tried to have a good time. She was getting stares, she didn’t like it. She was over 5000 years old, but anyone unfamiliar with gems would think she was a child, and being heavily pregnant didn’t help matters. She barely ate any of the pizza; she just sat there with her head down.

“This was a mistake,” Sapphire said.

“C’mon, you need to lighten up. You can have fun without Ruby,” Steven insisted.

“Not much. Ruby would make them stop staring at me,” Sapphire said. “At least the mailman will stop hitting on Garnet when he sees her with four gemlings following behind.”

“That’s going to be so cute!”

Sapphire actually smiled. “They are going to be very cute, you don’t need future sight to know that,” she said.

After finishing with lunch, Steven decided it would be fun to visit Vidalia. She was the only one Steven knew well enough who had children of her own and would be able to give Sapphire advice.

Vidalia didn’t let Steven in all at once. She apparently had to move something. Sapphire was sure it was probably an inappropriate painting of Amethyst (the purple gem would constantly talk about that) that she didn’t want Steven to see.

“Another gem?” Vidalia asked.

“Sapphire. She’s part of Garnet,” Steven said.

“Amethyst brought her friend here the other day. You wouldn’t believe what they wanted me to paint,” Vidalia said.

“I’d rather not know. If it’s Amethyst, it’s going to be disturbing,” Sapphire said.

“You’re adorable, I want to paint you. Can you stay still for a few hours?”

“Not today. I have some things to ask. You have children, I don’t know much,” Sapphire said.

“I didn’t even know gems could have children,” Vidalia said.

“That’s because you mostly work with Amethyst and she can’t. She is a quartz and they were designed to fight. I may look like an eight-year-old but I’m actually a very old sapphire, I was one of the first produced when Homeworld moved away from natural reproduction. One of my sisters had a litter once, so I know a little bit, but you may be able to tell me more,” Sapphire explained.

“I don’t know anything about gems. I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe you’ll have to rely on instinct.”

“I don’t know that we have instincts! I hope I can do this. I love Ruby and our gemlings so much, and I want nothing more for them all to be happy.”

Vidalia hugged the little blue gem. “I’m sure you do,” she said.

Sapphire recoiled and pushed her away. “Don’t touch me! Steven, this is exactly what I was worried about!” She yelled, walking outside.

“What was that about?” Vidalia asked.

“I dunno. She just doesn’t want to be touched,” Steven said. He left the garage and found Sapphire looking at the sky.

“Take me home, this was a bad idea, I want to go sleep in my nest!” Sapphire snarled.

“I have one more idea. We could go see the off-colours. I can call ahead; Rhodonite can make sure Padparadscha doesn’t touch you,” Steven said.

“I do like that little sapphire. And with her it’s more curiosity than anything. She’s young, she doesn’t know how things work, and she doesn’t understand what is so special about Ruby. I need to teach her things,” Sapphire said.

As soon as they went in the house, of course: “I predict Steven and my dear big sister will come to visit us! How wonderful!”

Padparadscha was sitting on the floor with a ruby giving her a backrub. The ruby had her gem on her leg, she was one of the rubies that had searched for Jasper a while ago, but with gems being free from the Diamond Authority, they could do what they wanted too.

“I have my very own Ruby guard finally,” the little orange sapphire said.

“The other rubies abandoned me; they said I was holding them back. From what I don’t know, and I run into her and she insists I have to be her guard. She is cute, and lots of rubies are only meant to guard sapphires,” Leggy said.

“It is interesting to have another ruby in the house,” Rhodonite said.

“Young love, it’s so adorable,” Sapphire said.

The young ruby looked startled. “I just met her, I’m her guard!” she cried.

“I’m just messing with you. But…a ruby was once my guard. Now we’re married and expecting a litter,” Sapphire said, rubbing her round belly.

“She fuses with her ruby,” Left Rutile said.

“Yeah, I’ve seen that. Someday, maybe me and Paddy here can fuse,” Leggy said.

“You’d make a fine garnet,” Sapphire said, “but it’s a big decision. I’m happy with it, and Rhody and Fluorite seem happy, but it may not be for everyone. There are many wonderful things about it, but there can also be problems, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

XX

Later that day, while she was resting in her nest with Ruby, Sapphire was very glad Steven had taken her out. She’d have to go see Padparadscha more often.

Chapter Text

“Ruby? Wake up!” Sapphire called out. She and Ruby were resting in her nest again. Ruby had fallen asleep and wasn’t screaming for once.

“Sapphy? Are you okay?” Ruby asked. The eggs were due any time now, so the little red gem was very concerned for her wife.

“Oh yes, just fine. Come with me, I want to go for a walk,” Sapphire said.

“You need to stay here until you lay our eggs!” Ruby cried.

“That’s boring. I need to get outside, have some sunlight. I can’t go alone,” Sapphire insisted.

“I can’t believe you want to leave the nest this close to your due date. Peridot’s report says you’d probably get broody in the last few days before you deliver and not want to move. You should remember that I certainly was when was about to lay my last clutch of eggs,” Ruby said.

“Maybe I’m not as close as we think,” Sapphire said.

“You can barely walk. I think it’s risky to be going out,” Ruby said.

“That’s why I’m not going alone, but it’s okay Ruby. If you don’t want to go with me, I’ll ask Pearl,” Sapphire said, grinning.

Ruby jumped up, as Sapphire knew she’d do mentioning another gem going outside with her wife. “Where do you want to go? I’m up for anything!” She exclaimed. She was just faking being excited, but she hoped Sapphire would buy it.

“I want to go have a picnic out in the countryside, away from everyone. We haven’t been out like that for a long time,” Sapphire said.

“Okay. That sounds fun. I hope the others won’t need me today,” Ruby said.

“There are plenty of gems that can help if anything comes up. You claimed you were practically dead weight on the last mission,” Sapphire said.

“Oh yeah, Carnelian and Amethyst fused and tore apart everything in sight. They make one very interesting quartz.”

“On a retrieval?”

“Yes.”

“I wish I could’ve seen,” Sapphire said, rubbing her full belly. She figured she had a few days at least. She couldn’t wait.

“I’m sure they’d show you their fusion if you asked,” Ruby said.

XX
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Ruby asked for the thousandth time. The two of them had gone out to a nice secluded spot. Sapphire carried a picnic basket and had a cute sun hat on. Ruby had a pack.

“I’m fine. You’re the one who seems to find it comical how I’m walking. I can hear you snickering over there,” Sapphire said.

“I’m sorry, it’s just cute. This looks like a good spot. I’ve got the blanket here somewhere…” Ruby said, digging around in her pack.

Once Ruby had put down the blanket, Sapphire laid back on it and looked at the sky. “It’s such a perfect day,” she said.

Ruby sat down next to her, “Yeah. This world is amazing; you find something new to love about it every day. To think Homeworld wanted to destroy all this,” she said. Sapphire got a sandwich out of her basket and laid back down, continuing to look at clouds while she ate. The eggs shifted inside her and she rubbed at her middle gently. Ruby looked around in the basket and found a candy bar. She lay down with her wife.

“Our daughters will be very happy here,” Sapphire said. She rolled over onto her side and looked at her wife.

“What are you doing?” Ruby asked.

“Admiring you. You’re so cute,” Sapphire said.

“You’re cuter, I hope our gemlings look like you,” Ruby said, pulling Sapphire to her and kissing her.

Sapphire gave her an evil grin. “You’re so hot, even for a ruby. Shapeshift for me. I haven’t had your sweet little pussy in so long; this may be our last chance for a while,” she purred, removing her gloves.

Ruby blushed. “What a naughty girl you are, Sapphire. I guess it has been a while,” she said, phasing her clothes off. Sapphire pulled her to her and began kissing her. Ruby cupped and kneaded her wife’s swollen breasts. Sapphire stopped and looked at her.

“They hurt…” Sapphire said before going right back to her kissing.

“I’m sorry,” Ruby said.

“It’s okay, you’re gentle.” Sapphire moved her hand down and ran a finger around Ruby’s soaked slit.

“Don’t tease, Sapphy,” Ruby said. Sapphire phased her own clothes off. Even full of eggs, Ruby still thought her wife was beautiful. She was going to say something, but Sapphire slipped an icy finger inside her and all that came out was a squeal of delight.

“So warm. I had almost forgotten how good you feel,” Sapphire said, sliding another slender finger inside. Ruby sighed happily and responded with kisses of her own. Down her wife’s neck, down to lick Sapphire’s breasts, she knew better than to do much else than just gentle kisses.

“I should say the same for you,” Ruby said.

“Yeah? My fingers feel good in your hot little ruby hole?”

“Yesss…faster Sapphy!”

“I got a better idea. See that boulder over there? Sit on that, legs spread,” Sapphire said, removing her fingers and sucking on them.

Once Ruby had done what Sapphire had asked, the blue gem knelt down in front of her. It was hard, heavy as she was, but at least it was possible, which it wouldn’t have been had they still been laying down. Sapphire sucked and licked at Ruby’s clit, the red gem squealed and giggled. It had been so long since Sapphire had gone down on her, which was a shame because her wife was talented.

“Oh stars…your cold tongue…so incredible…” Ruby moaned. Sapphire brushed her bangs aside so Ruby could see her looking up at her. “You’re adorable,” Ruby said, patting the blue gem’s head, and then pushing it against her even more. Sapphire took the hint and alternated between long, drawn-out delves and flicking her tongue in and out. “Sapphy, that’s it…I’m getting close!”

Sapphire didn’t stop, she just sped up. Ruby’s voice got louder with every lick until she went rigid and absolutely screamed, rewarding her wife with her sweetness. The blue gem continued licking, making sure she got every last drop.

“That was…insane. I wanna wreck you so bad, but I can’t,” Ruby said, panting.

“Doesn’t mean you can’t make me feel good too,” Sapphire said.

“C’mere baby. Sit on my lap, facing me,” Ruby said, shapeshifting her tentacle back. Sapphire obeyed eagerly, and Ruby slid into her fully in one thrust.

“Oh, Ruby,” Sapphire said.

“I couldn’t resist. It’s as close as we can get to fusing right now, and it’s something we can’t do while we’re fused. Shame you can’t use yours at the same time,” Ruby said.

“I’m not complaining,” Sapphire said happily.

“Stars, how is it so warm? You’re so cold everywhere else, but your pussy is always so warm,” Ruby said.

“I’m warm inside so I can grow your little rubies in my womb and they won’t freeze,” Sapphire said, taking Ruby’s gemmed hand and placing it on her belly. That’s when Ruby felt it. Sapphire cried out in pain.

“Sapphire, Diamonds! You’re having contractions! How long has this been going on? Why the Hell are we out here and not at the nest?!” Ruby cried, pulling out and phasing her clothes back on. Sapphire was hugging herself, clearly in a great deal of pain already.

“It started when I was eating you out. It just now got really bad,” Sapphire whimpered. Ruby picked her up.

“Do you think we have time to get back to the temple?” Ruby asked.

Sapphire shook her head. “Ruby, the barn. It’s not too far. I don’t know how much time I have, it’s better to go there in case I can’t make it home and Peridot and Lapis can assist. I wish I had my future vision to tell how long before I lay,” she said, clearly very frightened.

Ruby knew it had been a bad idea to leave the nest, she just hoped she could get Sapphire to safety and their daughters arrived safely. That was all she could do now.

Chapter Text

Peridot and Lapis were teaching their gemlings about colours. Jasper laid on the ground nearby, bored out of her mind like usual. Ruby burst in with Sapphire in her arms. The blue gem was screaming.

“OH MY STARS RUBY WHY DIDN’T YOU…SAPPHIRE! GET HER IN THE NEST RIGHT NOW!” Lapis cried.

“It’s okay, Sapphy, breathe,” Ruby said, putting her wife down in Lapis’s nest.

“What are you doing here? Sapphire has her own nest,” Peridot said.

“We were having a picnic; she wanted to get out of the house. I told her it was a bad idea. We don’t have time to get her home, and you know we’re not using the Warp Pad. I don’t want to move her too much. We’re not taking any chances with these gemlings. And you claim to be a reproductive specialist so we need your help,” Ruby said. Sapphire was wailing, lying on her side in the nest.

“Geez, she’s really hurting, isn’t she?” Jasper asked, going over to look at Sapphire. Ruby launched herself at her, thinking of nothing but protecting her wife and children from the giant quartz. Jasper grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and held her. Ruby was sure she was going to get shattered, but to her surprise Jasper started laughing. “What a ferocious little ruby. I wasn’t going to hurt your wife, you little fireball. You know what, you’re brave. I like that. Maybe you’re not as bad as I thought,” the orange gem said.

“You stay away from Sapphire,” Ruby growled. Jasper tossed the red gem into a pile of hay and jumped up into the loft to watch.

During the tussle, Peridot had examined Sapphire. “Lapis, could you take the kids to see Steven? Tell him what’s going on, but don’t let him come here. This will just frighten our gemlings and it’s not good to have Steven here either. I doubt Pearl will let him anyway. He can play with our girls,” the green gem said. Lapis gathered her gemlings and warped away.

“How long before she lays?” Ruby asked, sitting down next to Sapphire and stroking her side.

“It may be a while yet. We could watch Camp Pining Hearts until she’s ready,” Peridot said.

“I’m not leaving Sapphire’s side to watch soap operas,” Ruby said.

“Soap operas? It’s not an opera, in an opera you have to sing, Lapis taught me about them. And there’s no soap involved. It’s a Canadian drama,” Peridot said.

“Whatever it is, I’m not interested. I’m going to stay by my wife’s side,” Ruby said.

“You don’t have to the whole time. My water hasn’t even broken yet. You heard what Peridot said,” Sapphire said.

“Yes I do. I’m a ruby guard and you’re my sapphire. I have to stay with my sapphire at all times and protect her from all dangers.”

“You should’ve asked Lapis to bring your games back here so Peridot could hook them up to the TV. That’s got to be more exciting than sitting here and waiting for hours.”

“These are my kids too, Sapphy. That’s far more exciting than any game. Take a nap, love. You’ll need your strength for later.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to watch TV Ruby? We have cable. We don’t have to watch Camp Pining Hearts. You can watch anything you want,” Peridot said.

“The only thing I want to watch is Sapphire laying our eggs!” Ruby snapped. “Weren’t you focused completely on Lapis when she had yours?”

“You kidding? She set her tablet up to record and sat up there watching TV with the volume turned up until Lapis started delivering and she couldn’t drown out her screaming anymore,” Jasper said.

“Lapis was feral, I didn’t want her attacking me. I’m surprised Sapphire isn’t,” Peridot said.

“Just wait ‘til I have gemlings. Then you’ll see feral. When’s Lapis gonna fulfill her end of our bargain anyway?” Jasper asked.

“Why do you have any interest in her? She’s my mate! There are plenty of powerful jaspers in Little Homeworld you could have cubs with!” Peridot yelled.

“She said she would if I didn’t hurt your brats, and sometimes that’s really hard, especially with the biggest one flying all over the place! I need an army of cubs. Lapis this time, maybe another jasper next time,” Jasper growled.

“You’re a quartz! You’d only have one or two at a time! And that doesn’t answer the question!”

“Easy, Lapis is attractive! The cubs will be hot.”

“Don’t yell. Sapphire is trying to sleep. I think I might take a nap too, just to pass the time,” Ruby said, curling up in the nest with her wife.

“Yeah, Peridot. Listen to the terrifying little ruby. She’ll tear you to pieces,” Jasper said.

XX

Several hours later, Sapphire awoke with a start. Ruby was snoozing away next to her, and she could hear the TV on. The pain was incredible, and it was coming on a lot faster. Her dress was soaked too. Sapphire knew what it meant. It was almost time.

“Ruby, wake up,” Sapphire said.

“Five more minutes…” Ruby said.

Sapphire shook her. “No, wake up now,” she said. Then she screamed in pain. Ruby was certainly awake after that.

“SAPPHY!” The red gem cried. Sapphire kept screaming.

“SHUT HER UP!” Jasper yelled.

“Jasper, you have no idea how painful this is! I do! I’ve laid eggs before! It’s the worst pain you can imagine so you shut up! Sapphire doesn’t’ need any more stress than she already is in!” Ruby screeched.

“I’ll show you pain…” Jasper said.

“Try me,” Ruby growled.

“Can you two not do this now? Ruby, let it go, I need you,” Sapphire whimpered.

“If you have to fight, take it outside,” Peridot said, coming down and getting ready to assist Sapphire. “Okay, Sapphire. Phase off your dress for me, okay?”

“I’m not fighting right now, maybe some other time,” Ruby said. She clasped Sapphire’s little gemmed hand in her own.

“Ruby, it hurts so much,” Sapphire said, she could feel the eggs getting in position to be laid.

“I know. I also know you can do it. You’re strong. You’ll be fine and we’ll have four gemlings,” Ruby said reassuringly. Peridot was setting up her tablet to record. “I don’t know how I feel about that,” she added.

“I can make copies to a disk. Years from now you’ll be glad to have it,” Peridot assured her.

“The very thought disturbs me to no end,” Sapphire said, before she cried out again. She was already losing her voice and she hadn’t even started laying yet. Ruby made soothing noises.

“The sapphire is almost fully dilated, everything is going well,” Peridot reported.

“You’re making a log about this?!” Ruby asked, starting to get really mad.

“She did this with Lapis too. I at least scare her enough she’s not going to do it to me,” Jasper said.

“Ruby…they’re coming!” Sapphire screamed, feeling the first egg slip into her canal. It hurt more than she ever imagined.

“I’ve got you, love. Push nice and hard, bring us our gemlings!” Ruby cried.

Sapphire began to push, feeling the egg inch down her canal. It was a good-sized egg, but it wasn’t the biggest. Ruby held her.

“Good girl, keep going,” Ruby said. Sapphire bore down and the egg started to crown.

“I can see it! It’s blue,” Peridot said.

“A sapphire!” Ruby cried happily. Sapphire smiled, despite the incredible pain. Peridot got ready to catch the egg. With a slight pop, the little bright blue egg slid out into the green gem’s waiting hands. Peridot dried it off gently and placed it in Ruby’s hands.

Ruby stared at the tiny egg in her hands. She couldn’t believe she and Sapphire had made it. To think that inside that egg was a tiny sapphire brought tears to Ruby’s eyes. She loved her so much already. She kissed the precious egg, feeling the unborn gemling kick. She seemed very healthy. The red gem’s own eggs had never been so brilliant, even the three that had been alive. “Oh Sapphy, she’s so beautiful. A little version of you, isn’t that wonderful? How did we ever make something so incredible? Hello little sapphire, I can’t believe I’m holding you at last.”

Sapphire couldn’t respond. The next egg was on its way, and it was even worse than the first one. “Oh stars…it’s the big one,” she moaned.

“Peridot, get me a basket or something. I need to keep the eggs safe,” Ruby said.

“Yes, I’ll get you a blanket too. You need to keep them warm,” Peridot said, getting up to get the items.

Sapphire was struggling. No matter how hard she pushed, she couldn’t seem to make much progress. This was what she had been afraid of. If she wasn’t able to lay the egg, she’d eventually have to retreat to her gem and would lose not only it but the other two still inside her as well. The fear was almost as intense as the pain.

“Ruby, I can’t do this. It’s stuck. You’re going to have to break the egg. I can’t get it out. Then we can save the other two. I know we can’t bear losing another gemling, but if we have to sacrifice one for the sake of the others…” Sapphire began.

“I can’t do that, Sapphy, I can’t kill our baby! Keep trying, you can do it!”

“No, I can’t. I’m sorry. If I keep going like this, I’ll poof and lose the whole clutch. Please, we can still have three gemlings.”

Jasper crawled over to her. Ruby growled and got ready to attack, but the orange quartz held up her hands, trying to show that she wasn’t trying to hurt Sapphire. “I don’t like you two, but I really don’t like hearing her scream like this. Don’t do anything to the egg; I think I know how to get it out. She needs to relax, will make it easier. Get in front of her, and let me work. I’m not going to hurt her,” the large gem said.

“Who are you and what have you done with Jasper?” Ruby asked jokingly.

“Be quiet and do exactly as I say or I’ll smash you,” Jasper growled.

“That’s the Jasper we know,” Peridot said from where she was right back to watching TV. She had retreated as soon as Jasper had come near.

“Okay. Sapphire. You need to still do most of the work, but I’m gonna try something. And as for you, Ruby, I need you to shapeshift your hands. Not too small, probably near the size of her hands. And when you can feel the egg, you need to ease it out of her. Gently, don’t break it,” Jasper said, rubbing Sapphire’s shoulders, and then her breasts. Ruby was furious, but she could kick Jasper’s ass later. She had to calm down, or she would burn her wife. Sapphire and the eggs were all that mattered. “Breathe deep, Sapphire. I know you don’t need to, but I hear it helps ease the pain a little bit. That’s it. There you go, keep doing that. Now, great big push, okay?”

It was hard, but it started to work. Sapphire finally felt the egg move a little. Ruby shapeshifted her hands small enough and inserted them into Sapphire’s egg hole. “Yeah, we’ve got this. C’mon Sapphy, we’re a team, we’ll do this together. You push, and I’ll pull,” Ruby said, grabbing hold of the egg. Sapphire put all her strength into it and Ruby pulled. She couldn’t do it too hard or she’d hurt Sapphire and might damage the precious egg, but at least it was coming. Jasper backed off. She had done what she could. Ruby had this.

Finally, after nearly a half hour, Ruby pulled the large egg free. Sapphire couldn’t believe she had actually done it. Ruby held the little burgundy egg, just as amazed as she had been with the first one that was resting safely in a basket with a nice warm blanket. She had been right all along, it was a garnet.

But the blue gem wasn’t done yet. Almost as soon as she had laid the huge fusion egg, another had moved into position. This one, at least, was small and being stretched out, Sapphire didn’t have much trouble. It didn’t take very long before Ruby was holding (to her infinite delight) a little red ruby egg.

Sapphire was reaching the end of her energy. The trauma from laying the large egg was getting to her, she would have to regenerate. She just had one more egg to lay before she could: The runt. At least it was easy. Finally, Sapphire was finished and laid there looking at all her eggs in the basket.

The little pink egg was smaller than all her sisters by quite a bit. Yes, she was a sapphire, but so was her oldest littermate and the blue sapphire was nearly twice her size. She’d probably be fine, Sapphire had no doubt about Ruby’s abilities to take care of them.

“You did well, Sapphy. And Jasper? Thanks,” Ruby said.

“Yeah, don’t get used to it or anything,” Jasper said, curled up nearby.

“Ruby. You need to go home. Take care of the eggs,” Sapphy said.

Ruby held her hand. “Are you okay?”

“I’m hurt, but I‘ll be fine. I’ll be back before the eggs hatch, just take me home. And keep the eggs warm until I can,” The blue gem said weakly. Her gem clattered to the ground moments later. Ruby scooped it up and put it in the basket with the geodes. Sapphire had earned her rest.

Chapter Text

Ruby spent almost all her time in the nest, warming the eggs and staring at Sapphire’s gem. She wanted her wife back so much, she wanted to be Garnet again, but mostly she worried Sapphire wouldn’t come back before the gemlings hatched even though she promised she would. Her gem was fine, there were no cracks or chips, but Sapphire often took a long time to reform and as hurt as she was from laying the garnet egg…it would be a while.

Someone knocked on the door and Ruby was surprised to find Amethyst standing there. “Hey. Sapphire still not back? I got bored, can I see the eggs?” The purple gem asked. Ruby moved away from the eggs so Amethyst could see them.

“Yeah, just don’t touch them. Look at my little ruby egg! What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were gonna spend the day in Little Homeworld with your sisters and your girlfriend,” Ruby said.

“Nah. Carnie isolated herself for now and Holly Blue scares me. My sisters say she’s been a bit nicer since they came to Earth but I still don’t like her. And Carnie is not my girlfriend, we just mess around and she’s crazy for my knockers. All the Amethysts seem excited. 8XJ says at least three of them are carrying, but I guess that’s what happens when a gemling is around. I don’t know, it’s never gonna happen to me,” Amethyst said.

“I get it, you’re jealous, you’ve made that very clear. I don’t want to hear it again,” Ruby said.

“Is it so hard to believe I’d be a good mother? I helped take care of Steven along with you and Saffs and Pearl. I could handle a little amethyst. I’d carry her warm and safe in my tummy and when she was ready I’d take care of my little egg until she hatched into a baby me. She’d be so cute, a little purple fluff ball like me! She’d ride on my shoulder and I’d take her everywhere, and teach her how to shapeshift and eat all kinds of stuff. And then she’d grow up and get huge and be a full-sized amethyst and I’d ride on her shoulder, and it would be easy because I’d only have one at a time anyway since quartzes are poor carriers,” Amethyst said.

“It’s not as fun as you’d think. Trust me. It’s really hard. Just look at what happened to Sapphy. She probably tore something, I don’t know when she’s gonna reform. And I’m probably sterile now too. I lost three litters and haven’t formed eggs for a long time,” Ruby said.

“Three? I knew about the two. I’m gonna drop the subject. So anyway, have you talked about names?” Amethyst asked.

“Not much, though I have some ideas for the ruby. We wanted to wait until we knew what we were having and we kinda want Garnet’s input too. They’re as much hers as they are mine and Sapphy’s,” Ruby said, stroking Sapphire’s gem.

“You really miss her. Both Sapphire and Garnet.”

“I ache for Garnet. Why don’t you go find something else to do? The eggs need my warmth; I can’t stay away from them for long. I need to take care of my family, and I want to be the only one here when Sapphire reforms,” Ruby said.

XX

“You should see them! There are two sapphires, and a ruby, and a garnet. They’re gonna be so cute! And one of the sapphires is a pink sapphire, they’re really rare,” Amethyst told Steven.

“Leave Ruby alone for now, she needs to care for the geodes until Sapphire regenerates,” Pearl said.

“But I haven’t gotten to see the eggs yet, Pearl! Ruby went straight to the nest as soon as she came home and she hasn’t come out for a week!” Steven protested.

“Ruby says she wants to be the only one there when Sapphire comes back,” Amethyst said.

“And we need to respect that. Steven, once the geodes hatch and the gemlings are big enough and have their eyes open you’ll have all the time in the world to play with them. It shouldn’t be too long before they arrive; maybe another week at least,” Pearl said.

“I’ve never seen a pink sapphire before, just the blue ones and Padparadscha. Sapphires are lucky, they supposedly come in all different colours,” Amethyst said.

“There’s nothing wrong with amethysts,” Pearl said.

“Not most of them.”

“Not you either! You’re brave, and you’re strong and you’re lovable. There’s more to life than reproduction, you know that! You need to stop beating yourself up over every little thing. There is so much about you that is special, why can’t you understand that?” Pearl told her. Amethyst hugged her.

“You’re right. I’ll stop being so jealous,” Amethyst said.

XX

Ruby did want to show Steven the eggs, but she didn’t want to leave the nest until her wife returned. The last few months had been the longest they had been unfused in a long time and it felt unnatural to the little red gem. She had no idea what she would do if the eggs hatched before Sapphire came back. She knew she’d have to shapeshift like Amethyst had done for her niece for their ruby daughter, but only Sapphire could feed the two sapphire gemlings. The garnet could be either way, but it would have to be Ruby in that case also. The two mothers had talked about what they were going to do for a while now; they were going to modify Garnet to be able to feed the gemlings.

“C’mon Saph. Please. I miss you, we all miss you. Your gemlings need you. I can’t raise all these miracles myself,” Ruby said, picking up Sapphire’s gem and kissing it. She curled back up around her eggs and waited. This was taking a toll on her. Even though she didn’t need to sleep, she could swear she felt tired.

Finally, just as Ruby was about to nod off, there was a flash of light and Sapphire’s gem lifted into the air. After a few seconds, Sapphire was laying in the nest next to Ruby.

“Sapphy?! I’m not dreaming am I?” Ruby asked, hugging her wife.

“I assure you, this is real. I’m sorry I couldn’t be with you all this time,” Sapphire said.

“It’s fine. You had a hard time, nobody can blame you. I hope you rested well. I’ve been being a good mom. Amethyst was in here earlier, but nobody else has come to see the eggs,” Ruby said.

“Where are my babies?”

Ruby placed the eggs between them. Sapphire admired her eggs, pleased with how shining and healthy they seemed. The little ruby egg shook slightly. “She’s going to be a bundle of energy,” Sapphire said. She touched the eggs, using her future sight to make sure they were healthy. She stroked the pink egg lovingly, smiling to herself.

“Of course, she’s a ruby. She’s going to be nice and strong and protect all her sisters,” Ruby said, “so, you ready?”

“For what?”

“To be Garnet again, come up with names for the gemlings,” Ruby said.

“Not just yet. In a minute, I just reformed. And I’ve already decided the pink sapphire is going to be Sophie. You can name the ruby and garnet. We’ll make sure Garnet agrees, but we can start naming them,” Sapphire said.

“Sophie. Your human name. Of course,” Ruby said.

“Don’t you like it?”

“I do, it’s cute. I’ve been working on names for the ruby, but I’m kinda torn between Flare and Blaze,” Ruby said.

“This one can be Flare. If we ever have another litter and we have another ruby she can be Blaze,” Sapphire said.

“How can you be thinking about another litter? This one hasn’t even hatched yet, and you got hurt. I think we should be happy with what we have,” Ruby said.

Sapphire stretched out. “I am happy with what we’ll have. They’ll be full of surprises. So, ready to fuse?” she asked.

“I’ve been ready for months!” Ruby exclaimed happily.

Within seconds, it was Garnet curled up around the eggs.

“It’s good to be back, but did you two really have to do this?” Garnet asked, motioning to the fact that she had four breasts.

(We agreed to modify for this. It’s just until the gemlings are weaned,) Sapphire said in her head.

(I think it’s funny,) Ruby added.

(We’ve come up with two names so far. Flare for the ruby and Sophie for the pink sapphire,) Sapphire said.

“Fine names,” Garnet said.

(We need two more,) Ruby said.

(The other sapphire can be Snowy. I just like the sound of it,) Sapphire said.

(What do you call a ruby and a sapphire? And don’t say ‘Garnet’, she needs her own name, something along the lines of ‘Sabby’ just not so corny,) Ruby said.

“What’s wrong with Sabby? I kinda like it,” Garnet said.

(It’s certainly better than how Peridot went and named all her gemlings after characters from that soap opera she likes. I’ll never know how Lapis let her get away with that,) Sapphire said.

(You two are seriously considering it? Alright, alright. I guess you can have that one,) Ruby said.

“I’m going to go get Steven. I suppose he does deserve to meet his sisters now that they have names,” Garnet said.

Chapter Text

Garnet rested in her nest, watching, waiting. Her future vision told her the eggs would hatch today. Ruby knew she could peek at the gemlings, she knew Sapphire had seen them, but she preferred to wait and see them when they hatched. Sapphire had assured her they were going to be fine and she had to trust her.

The gemlings were active. They wanted to come out, but it was taking so long. The mothers knew they couldn’t help them. Gemlings had to hatch out on their own.

The blue egg was the first to start cracking. She had been laid first and now she was going to be the first to hatch. The other eggs were shaking, but none of the others had cracked yet.

“That’s it Snowy Sapphire. We want to see you,” Garnet said. There was a flash of light and the egg cracked open, revealing a miniature sapphire who looked almost identical to her mother.

(She’s just like you, that’s so adorable,) Ruby said as Garnet picked up the tiny gemling and wiped her off with a cloth gently looking her over. Her gem was on the same hand as her sire’s. The gemling chirped angrily at the feeling of the cloth.

(My little blue sapphire,) Sapphire purred.

Then the fusion lifted the chirping gemling’s fluffy hair in her cleaning and found something interesting. Well, two things actually.

“A sapphire with two eyes!” Garnet exclaimed in shock.

(I’ve never seen a sapphire like that,) Ruby said.

(It’s nothing I’ve ever heard of happening, but we love her anyway,) Sapphire said.

(Is she a fusion?)

(She only has one gem. I think she’s just an unusual little sapphire,)

“A very special little gem you are, Snowy,” Garnet said, placing the gemling at her breasts. The baby sapphire got the idea quickly and started suckling away contentedly.

The ruby was the second to hatch, tumbling out of her egg backwards. She looked a lot like her sire, and just like the sapphire had the gem in the same hand as Ruby. Before Garnet could fully clean her off, the garnet arrived too.

Sabby was different than her fusion mother. Though it was jet black she had long hair, like a sapphire, covering her third eye. Her colour had a little more blue in it, making her almost indigo. She was also at least twice the size of her sisters.

“Hello Sabby. We’ve been waiting for you, you little troublemaker,” Garnet said, picking up the mini-garnet. The fusion gemling chirped at her and hugged her finger. Her twin gems were on her legs, for whatever reason. The ruby chirped too, trying to get her mother’s attention back on her. “Yes, Flare, I know you’re here too.”

By then, Snowy had finished her meal and yawned, tired from the hard work of hatching. Garnet placed her back in the basket where she fell right asleep and got to work feeding her other two gemlings…and waiting for her little pink egg to hatch.

(She’s so tiny, what if she doesn’t hatch?) Ruby asked, terrified by the very thought.

(She’ll hatch when she’s ready to. Don’t you trust me?) Sapphire said.

As if on cue, the pink egg shook. Much weaker than her sisters had, but at least it meant she was alive. Ruby wanted to help her, but Sapphire had to remind her that she couldn’t or she’d hurt the little one.

At last, the pink egg opened and there was the sound of chirping. The fusion mother looked intently…at a tiny ruby.

(She can’t be a ruby! That’s a pink sapphire egg!) Ruby cried.

“I think I found the sapphire…”

(Twins,) Sapphire said.

“Yeah, but look at this…”

There was a pink sapphire too, but she just laid there, limp and unresponsive. “No, nonononono! You can’t be dead!” Garnet cried, forgetting the unusualness of twins being different kinds of gems for the moment and scooping the little sapphire into her hand. She began rubbing the gemling, trying to stimulate her.

(Oh my stars. When I said we’d have four gemlings I didn’t mean it like this. Why didn’t I foresee this?) Sapphire said sadly.

(Poor thing, do you think we can save her?) Ruby asked.

“C’mon Sophie! WAKE UP! I CAN’T LOSE YOU!” Garnet yelped, continuing to try and revive the gemling, but nothing was happening.

Finally, just as Garnet was about ready to give up, there was a slight movement.

“That’s it, baby, come back. Fight for me!”

There was a weak little chirp and then another, a little stronger. The little pink gemling nuzzled up against her carrier’s gem. She was going to be alright.

Which left the “bonus” ruby. (It looks like we have our Blaze. How did this happen? I mean, I’ve heard of twins before, who hasn’t, but a ruby and a sapphire sharing the same egg? I didn’t think such a thing was possible. I mean, two pink sapphires, yeah, but a ruby?) Ruby asked.

(Maybe they were supposed to be a fusion but something went wrong. We have five gemlings, I wasn’t kidding when I said they’d be full of surprises,) Sapphire said with a laugh.

(You knew about this! You foresaw that we’d have five gemlings and you didn’t tell me!) Ruby accused.

“Of course we did. We wanted to surprise you. No, we didn’t foresee Sophie nearly dying, but we did see Blaze. Isn’t she a nice surprise?” Garnet asked, feeding the tiny twins. Sophie took a little convincing, but her sister had latched right on. The other two gemlings had joined Snowy in the basket, sound asleep.

(The best. Our adorable little runts. Wow, how are we ever going to be able to take care of five gemlings?) Ruby said.

“The same way the two of you would’ve been able to take care of eight. We helped raise Steven, even though he is one child and we had Pearl and Amethyst, and I’m sure they will help us with our daughters,” Garnet said. Flare shrieked in the basket and the mother looked over to see Snowy scratching at her to make her move away from her.

(Yeah, I think we’re going to need a lot of help, but we’re a family, and we will all take care of each other,) Sapphire said.

Garnet and Ruby couldn’t agree more.