It's Becoming Crystal Clear (Jasper x Reader)

Chapter 4: Straight Talk

Jasper wrapped one massive hand around your neck and lifted you up to eye level.

“Where is she?!”

“She isn't here,” you started. Jasper's expression of rage intensified to a terrifying degree, and her grip tightened, beginning to squeeze the air out of you.

“WHERE IS SHE?! I can smell her on you!”

“Please… don’t…” you choked. She stared at you, saw the tears starting to form, saw the way your jaw subtly quivered, saw the fear and pleading and the lack of any anger in your eyes. Her hand remained where it was, but her vice-like grip loosened enough for you to breathe comfortably. Her face remained vicious and hardened, but the deadly intensity faded from her eyes.

“Why shouldn't I?” she growled.

“Because…” you replied, catching your breath, “I saved… you from… Hematite.” Jasper looked shocked. She released you, not carefully, but not violently. Her helmet vanished.

“You… that was your voice that called to me?”

“Yeah. You uh, looked like you needed some help.” Anger came back into Jasper's expression, but it was plain that it was not anger at you.

“I get saved and imprisoned by a human… great. You should've let her shatter me, human, and saved me the humiliation.”

“Oh, now don't talk like that.” It hurt you to see someone so strong sound so defeated. “It's not like I'm stronger than you. I just managed to take her by surprise. You just needed a little help, nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Why would a human try to assist me?”

“I know you don't think much of organic life… or most inorganic life, for that matter… but I believe all lives have value. I may be a dumb animal to you, but that doesn't mean I want to see you die. And my name is (Y/N), if you'd rather address me by name instead of just calling me human all the time.”

“You can call yourself dead if you don't release me. The only reason I haven't smashed your head into your ribcage is because you aided me and because I don't want word of that getting out,” Jasper warned. “Besides,” she added, “you seem to know your place and to have some respect, so I'm giving you credit for that.”

“I'm not imprisoning you!” You laughed at the very idea. “I mean, cards on the table, I was going to turn you over to the Crystal Gems so they could bubble you and put you away somewhere, like I did with Hematite. But I forgot I had your gemstone in my pocket, and, well, it's a little late now! Honestly, I was probably just going to let you go anyway if Hematite hadn't crushed you with my car. I'm sorry, I'm kinda rambling here. The point is, you aren't my captive, and I'm not planning to sell you out to the Crystal Gems. You are perfectly free to leave.” Jasper looked bewildered.

“Why? Why would you betray your own allies? Why should I trust someone who does that?”

“I don't think I'm betraying anyone. I'm just lending someone a helping hand, and it would be kind of a jerk thing to do for me to turn you over to your enemies now. And yeah, I may be their friend, but you and I don't need to be enemies.”

“Any ally of Rose Quartz is an enemy of the Diamond Authority. And an enemy of me.” Jasper turned and started to walk out of the room, but paused in the doorway, looking back at you. “I'm not going to destroy you. You're obviously no threat to anyone. Even if you weren't so pathetic, you'd still just be a human… and hardly worth my time.”

You sighed heavily, but rose to your feet.

“Jasper, I have information about Rose which you kind of need to know.” That caught her attention. She stepped back into the room, eyes wide, expression curious.