The night sea stretched before Nora, a dark and indifferent fabric beneath a sky scattered with cold stars. She let out a sigh so deep and heavy that the bubble of air in her drink escaped with a faint pop. It didn't matter to her. The tone of disappointment wasn't aimed at anyone in particular but turned inward, toward herself.
The memories of the past few hours loosened in her mind—the fusion. She had tried to fuse, or at least that was what the Gems had been trying to teach her.
But of course, she couldn't. No matter how perfect her coordination in the dance had been, no matter how hard she tried, it didn't work, and that frustrated her to the core. She had seen it coming, though, just like all those other things she hadn't been able to do when she was younger... except those she had eventually mastered.
Healing powers? Yes, it had been a little funny to discover her saliva was the key. Her mother's shield? Yes, it had felt strange to summon it the first few times, but there it was. Floating? Yes. She thought of all the things she could do, but in that moment, her mind stayed trapped on what she couldn't.
The worst part wasn't even her self-criticism, but the way the Crystal Gems looked at her. That look of pity, the kind you give to someone who's sick or broken. She hated those looks, even though deep down she knew they weren't meant to hurt. Still, they did, like salt in an open wound.
She didn't feel good about herself at all. That was Nora Quartz Universe at this moment. She rubbed her forehead, trying to think of something else. She needed a distraction, so with some hesitation, she grabbed her phone.
Connie was her first choice, but judging from the reply, not only couldn't she talk tonight, she wouldn't be available for the next few days either. Connie needed to focus—her slightly rushed tone said it all. Exam week, of course.
She kept scrolling through her contacts. Next was Sadie, who also didn't have time tonight. Apparently, she and Lars had gone to Ocean City to find a limited-edition cookbook for him. They wouldn't be back in Beach City until tomorrow.
Further down, Kiki was helping her father in the kitchen, and Jenny was out delivering pizzas with Sour Cream and Buck.
Her contact list, full at a glance, suddenly felt painfully small.
Then she thought of calling Adrian. At first, the idea hadn't even crossed her mind—he was always busy in his lab doing who-knows-what. But what did she have to lose? Before her rational side could stop her, her thumb hit send.
She hissed softly at her own impulsiveness, but hope froze her in place. Seconds dragged on until the silence broke: a notification. The corner of her mouth lifted involuntarily.
[Good evening. I'm free. Did something happen?]
[I just needed someone to listen to me tonight.]
[…Alright then, something did happen. Where are you? I'll come by.]
A genuine smile spread across her face. Relief washed over her as she sent her location.
"I guess tonight won't be so bad after all," she whispered, gazing at the vast ocean.
…
She didn't have to wait long. Adrian came walking toward her, wearing his usual clothes and, surprisingly, carrying two pizza boxes and a bag full of supplies. Nora raised an eyebrow as he approached.
"Hey, star girl," he greeted in his usual teasing tone, offering her one of the boxes. "Beautiful night for some reflection, don't you think?"
He dropped down beside her, eyes lifting toward the heavens. She did the same, nodding. It was a pretty night, and he wasn't wrong well, not entirely. That was what annoyed her a little, though her smile didn't waver.
She took a breath, and the sigh that followed felt like release. Having someone to listen was a thousand times better than being trapped alone with her thoughts.
"I was trying this... technique?" she began, then thought better of the word. "No, it's more of an ability the Gems have."
She touched her Gem through her clothes and leaned back beside him, staring up at the stars. Adrian made a small sound of encouragement for her to continue.
"Through dancing, synchronization, and a bunch of other things Pearl talks about, the Gems can fuse into a single being... a kind of conversation, in a way." She finished that short explanation before adding, "I did everything right the dance, the rhythm, the mindset, everything. But as you can tell from my tone, it didn't work." Her voice lowered slightly. Adrian was about to reply, but she stopped him, wanting to get it all out.
"The worst part isn't that I failed. The worst part is knowing deep down that it could happen, and when it did, it felt like everything else I've learned didn't matter, like I was useless. And the pity in the Gems' eyes... even if I know they don't mean it, it still hurts more than the failure itself." She stood up as she finished, and Adrian followed, meeting her eyes.
"Ugh. Motivational speeches aren't really my thing, Nora," he said, standing straight and holding out a hand to her. "But I do know one thing: the Nora I know is strong and cheerful, and she faces problems with a smile."
He paused, and Nora felt a faint smile returning as she processed his words.
"The Nora I know is stubborn," he went on, and she held back a playful retort. "And she wouldn't give up over one bad day, much less a few looks."
She took his hand, and he helped her up.
"So tell me are you really giving up that easily? Just like that?"
Nora burst out laughing, brushing the sand from her legs.
"Of course not!"
"That's the Nora I know." He paused again, then asked something unexpected. "If I can ask... how exactly does this 'fusion' work? Maybe I could help somehow."
She didn't let him finish. She took his hand again, this time pulling him closer with renewed excitement, and began explaining the intricacies of the ability. Adrian looked a little uncomfortable with some of her explanations but masked it with a smile whenever she glanced at him.
That was enough for Nora to know the night wouldn't be so bad after all. Her laughter became contagious, and they kept talking, lost in their own little bubble, feeling like the only two beings beneath the stars.