🌇 Morning — Peridot’s Apartment
Peridot groaned before she even opened her eyes. The alarm was blaring at 6:45 a.m., and her entire body felt like it was actively rebelling against her existence. Her lower stomach ached sharply, her head pounded like she’d been hit with a wrench, and the faint smell of Amethyst’s attempt at cooking made her want to crawl under a blanket and never move again.
She dragged herself upright with a muffled, “Ughhh… biological betrayal at its finest,” before shuffling to the bathroom to splash water on her face.
From the kitchen came the usual morning chaos — Pearl humming, Garnet calmly sipping coffee, and Amethyst yelling something about burning toast again.
Peridot pressed her forehead against the cool bathroom mirror and muttered, “Why… does every internal organ I have hate me right now?”
When she finally emerged, her hair was a mess, her eyes half-lidded, and her expression screamed done with life. She poured herself a mug of coffee and clutched it like it was a lifeline.
Pearl glanced up from the counter. “You look… unwell.”
“Observant as ever,” Peridot grumbled, voice raspy. “I’m fine. Just… pain. And suffering. And the unjust cruelty of finals season looming like a vulture.”
“You could stay home,” Garnet offered.
Peridot shook her head. “No. I can’t fall behind now. Three weeks until finals — if I miss anything, my GPA will collapse faster than Amethyst’s self-control at an all-you-can-eat buffet.”
“HEY!” Amethyst yelled from the kitchen.
“See? Proven.” Peridot muttered, wincing as her cramps flared.
After forcing down half a piece of toast, she packed her things — sluggishly, muttering equations and complaints under her breath — and trudged out the door, hoodie zipped up to her chin.
🏫 Campus — Engineering Building
The sunlight was way too bright. Every noise felt magnified. By the time Peridot got to the fountain outside the lecture hall, she looked like she’d been through a small war. Her bag hung off one shoulder, her glasses were slightly crooked, and she was gripping a heating pad in one hand like a secret weapon.
That’s when she saw you (Lapis/YN) sitting on the bench, headphones in, looking calm as always.
Peridot hesitated, then slowly made her way over, dropping her bag beside her with a heavy sigh. She leaned forward, elbows on her knees, clearly trying not to groan too loudly.
“Morning…” she muttered, voice hoarse. “Just… fair warning — I am not operating at peak efficiency today. I’m running on 12% battery, caffeine fumes, and pure spite.”
She squinted against the light, rubbing her temple.
“If I say anything rude, it’s not personal. It’s… biology.”