Garnet sat on a cushion by the window of the temple house, overlooking the crashing waves of the ocean as she sipped a hot cup of coffee. After a big slurp, she lowered the mug from her lips. It slipped from her hands and crashed to the floor, coffee and shards of ceramic spilling everywhere.
"Hm," she muttered, a singular frown placed on her mouth. Indeed, it had been foreseeable—mug-holding is quite difficult when you have smooth-cut gems in your palms instead of fleshy grips. It happened every day; and every day, she became lazier and lazier. She was sure it was a metaphor. For… something.
So she sat there, watching the sea pull in and out, maintaining her badass position (as Garnet always has).
"Steven," she finally spoke.
A spell was broken. Steven Universe, who had been standing there, static, for a full minute, was now able to lower his arms and relax his body upon her noticing his presence.
"Sorry, Garnet, I think the animators forgot to reposition me a second there," Steven apologized in a very high-pitched voice.
"Steven what is happening. Why are you so small. And your voice is so high." There was pain in Garnet's voice—she didn't understand.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Steven's voice was nasally. He shrunk further.
"Steven NO! Don't do this!" Garnette pleaded.
Steven gave her a soft smile. "It's too late. I'm sorry." All belly fat was promptly sucked into his gut, and his butt disappeared, so that his legs magically stuck out from his torso. But on his face was the expression of acceptance. Steven Unitard knew his fate. He knew that the earth wanted him back; and now it was his time to become what Rose Quartz had put him on this planet for.
"NO! Don't leave! I can't lose you! Not after I lost my coffee!" Gravel wailed. She dove off of the window seat and plunged toward the ground in an effort to grab Stets, to stabilize him and save him from whatever void was sucking him away.
Steve shut his eyes. "This is where we say goodbye, Garnet." His voice was now wholly identical with Alvin the Chipmunk's. His body disappeared, and all that was left of poor Steven Unicycle was a meager head.
"No… NO! I couldn't save him." Darnit sat up, cradling Steven's head in her arms. "I—I wasn't strong enough. I could never have foreseen this happening…." Tears streamed down all three of her eyes, as well as her armpits, which also had tear ducts.
But she knew what she said was a lie. She foresaw this, crystal clear. We all did. Except Granite didn't want to believe it, so she stuffed it down, lying to herself all this time, and now, because of her, her son was just a head.
And Garnet cried and cried and cried.
