A Garnet

Steven didn't have a mom. He didn't have someone to pet his head at night or to tell him about how his gem specifically worked. He never saw her beautiful smile or get to know all of the things about her that everyone else saw. Like how her dad would smile at her pictures and laugh about things that he didn't even know about. Or how Pearl and Amethyst would talk about how much she meant to them but when they talked about what she did, they'd clam up and be quiet for a long time. It was only Garnet that didn't do those things. She didn't make Steven feel like he was missing out on his mom.

Sitting on the steps kicking his feet back and forth, Steven stared at the beach as the water came to and fro. It was times like these that he wondered if itw as really worth giving up her physical form for him. He placed his hand to his gem. Although he was grateful for all it gave him, sometimes, he thought it would be nicer if his mom was there instead. But they said it so themselves, the two of them couldn't exist at the same time. It could only be one or the other and he'd never make his mom choose between himself and her.

She saw the beauty in everything. Even his own selfishness.

"Steven, what are you doing out here?"

Jumping to attention, Steven smiled at seeing Garnet. She came and sat next to him although her legs had to stretch out instead of swinging like his could.

"You're thinking about Rose, aren't you?"

"No fair, you're using future sight, aren't you?"

"No. I just know you."

Steven blinked once and then twice. Looking at his own reflection in Garnet's sunglasses, he even seemed lost then too. Looking down at his feet he let out another sigh and drew them close to his chest.

"Garnet. Why is it that I'm the only one who didn't get to know her? Everyone else does, and I'm only able to see her through their memories or that one time when Amethyst was being mean to dad. I wish.. I really do wish that-"

"Steven."

A hand touched his shoulder and drug him close to her side. He could feel Garnet's warmth but it wasn't only hers. It was the warmth of two other gems that fused to make Garnet. He looked up at her with small tears in the corners of his eyes. A light flashed and the hand was gone, instead, two people sat on either side of him. One girl that was very red, and the other was very blue.

"Sapphire and Ruby!" He exclaimed. "Y-You didn't have to unfuse, I'm going to be fine. See?"

He tried to force a smile onto his face but the tears were too much. Sapphire held his hand and rested her cheek on his shoulder. Ruby wrapped her arm around his shoulders, fingers nestled in Sapphire's hair and their foreheads pressed together. Steven cried, sniffled and sobbed. But they didn't leave him at all. Though somewhere in that moment, he felt arms wrap around him and tilted his head back to find Garnet smiling at him once again.

"Its okay, Steven. I did it to show you something. Even when someone is not with you physically, they still love you. What Rose Quartz did for you was out of pure love. She loved the child that she was bringing into this world much more than herself, Greg, and even us. She loved you, Steven. And I am certain that if she was here, she would tell you the same. But in her place, I hope that you accept our feelings. Even as Ruby and Sapphire, or as Garnet, I will always love you, Steven Quartz Universe."

Steven's lip trembled and he turned in the embrace to hug her close to him sobbing. Garnet held him to her and somewhere, she could see a silhouette of Rose looming over them giving her an appreciative smile. But she didn't do this for Rose, Pearl, Amethyst, Greg, or anyone else in the entire universe. She did it for her one and only Steven.