@fusion-delusion
Continued from this
“No see, stop you even said it, you said it right there!” Labs shook her head, taking a good few steps back from him. “A few months, a few months as best he’ll be trapped and then what, Citrine? You think he’ll just accept that you’re cracked and move on with his life?!”
Zircon had been one of the biggest stresses in her life since she’d met him. He was power hungry, self centered, cruel and manipulative. He terrified her and had, on more than one occasion terrorized her. The why behind it, she didn’t even know, she’d never done anything to him! Hadn’t even met him before the first time she’d witnessed Moissanite split into his two components. In all honesty, she figured his interest in her was simply how much of an emotional weak point she was to Citrine.
“Once he finds his way outta there, you are going to be the first thing on his list!” she snapped, tears beginning to sting the corners of her eyes. Oh how she wanted to be angry at him, to blame him for bringing his darker half into her life. Hell, on a bad day, she wanted to blame him for her very existence. But she couldn’t.
“You’re not free, you just bought yourself some time at the expense of that assholes already exceptionally bad temper” Labs voice was started to crack, her fear finally causing the tears to tumble down her blue cheeks. “And I don’t need this in my life! I got enough to worry about without your bad break ups! Why you ever thought fusing with him was a good idea is beyond my comprehension!”
“What’s more, you can’t stay like this!” She reached out, grabbing his hand without thoughts and inspecting the damaged stone, wincing sympathetically at the state of it. “The fact I’ve made it this long in my condition is a combination of dumb luck and the fact you built me too damn well. But you could start falling apart at any minute. And I refuse to watch you die, you understand me?”
It was a mess. It was all a mess. She wanted him to go, to leave her alone so she could pretend his drama didn’t affect her. Yet the thought of losing him for good killed her. From the moment she found him again on earth, Labs had wanted him in her life again, that ‘father figure’ as humans would say. So what was she supposed to do?
“Damn it Cirtine” she squeaked, all the fire gone from her voice. “Why do you have to keep coming back?”
Citrine pursed his lips, knowing that what Labs said was true. Zircon was once a ruthless warrior, bred and trained to track and hunt down gems of interest. He had underestimated the pale gem before and the consequence was the shattering of his physical form, forcing him to return back into his gem. Fear’s cold hands ran down his spine, making Citrine shiver as if it was a wintry day.
“You’re correct, I suppose I am a fool for believing otherwise. If I cannot fuse, he’ll use me for some other ungodly purpose. I do not wish to know what the purpose may be, but I know it will only end in pain and humiliation.” Citrine’s voice lowered to a soft, trembling whisper as he muttered to himself, taking his cracked glasses from his bruised and scratched face to toss it aside. The glasses were of no use to him, for the large fissure in his gem made his vision so blurry and unfocused that not even the bifocals could correct it. The frown returned to Citrine’s amber lips as Labs took his trembling hand, “Do not fuss over me. I can still function even with this impediment. I’ll adapt to it as best as I can and hope that it is enough to keep myself stable.”
Citrine knew that it was just another lie to himself and Labs to cover up the doubt and pain that festered within the core of his form. “It isn't your job to take care of me, it isn’t anyone’s job. You know that there is no cure for a damaged gem, especially not on Earth that I know of. Hell, not even Homeworld’s technology can repair the damage.” What courage that Citrine held within immediately vanished, leaving him a husk devoid of his usual optimistic self.
The amber gem gently pulled his hand away from Labs’ grasp, “I didn’t come here to anger or worry you. I was hoping to make amends but I know that it’s too much to ask and it will never excuse my constant departures.” Citrine’s plump lips tugged upwards for a moment, “I know now that you’ve made a life for yourself here, with friends and companions that love and care for you ALMOST as much as I do.” A light chuckle, sounding almost like a soft bell, rose from his throat, “You’ve outdone your old man. I was blind and could not see how much I have missed. You’re no longer a gemling who needs the care of a host parent, but I will be there if needed, in case there’s tears to be dried or someone to vent on.”
A tiny flame of hope flickered within Citrine’s golden eyes as the gem rose to his feet with a wobble. His form shook for a moment as a glitch ran through his body, “It won’t matter if Zircon returns, he will not drag me away again, at least not alive. I may be fragile and broken, but I will and without hesitation use whatever power I have left to destabilize his form for good. I cannot allow him to continue to wreck havoc any longer.”
