A Beach Side Soul

A lot has happened recently. White Diamond accepted that I'm not Pink Diamond or Rose Quartz, Lars returned to earth with the off-colors, we healed the corrupted gems, and life's been peaceful on Beach City... for everyone else.

Every night for the past week I've been waking up, tired, and scared. I know that White probably won't come back and make me return to homeworld or anything, but after seeing what her powers can do to gem who she felt were imperfect I've been on edge. Not to mention that I almost died when she removed my gem. Ever since homeworld I haven't been able to sleep more than an hour at a time.

"Steven," came Garnet's voice, "Still can't sleep?" her voice was so soothing and concerned.

"No," I yawned, "I'm just getting some water," I said, sitting in my bed. I didn't even look like I was getting out of bed.

"Maybe you could use a walk," Garnet suggested, sort of with a smile, "It could help clear your mind."

I yawned, "Are you sure, Garnet?"

She only smiled as she walked into her room.

I guess I'll go take a walk, I thought as I threw on my shoes and walked outside. The moonlight showed brightly on the ocean, leaving a beautiful luster upon the surface, What am I gonna do? I thought to myself half asleep, I don't think that Pearl could handle how I feel and Garnet probably already knows, but understands I don't want to ask for her help, and as for Amethyst, I yawned loudly and my eyes closed for a second, standing in front of me was some guy. He wore a green jacket and black shirt, had regular blue jeans and some shorter brown hair. Beyond that, the only strange thing was his weird watch thing.

"Um... hello," the guy said, getting down to my eye level, "Could you tell me where I am?"

I rubbed my eyes, "Yeah, you're in Beach City," I pointed to the large sign towards town.

"Oh yeah..." the guy seemed nervous, "Um... this is gonna sound strange, but what planet am I on," I don't know why, but his smile was really goofy.

"Um... Earth?" I said, kind of holding back laughing a little, "Why do you ask?"

The guy sighed, "I've just been traveling, and kind of got lost," he looked up at the sky, "Wow, this sky is beautiful," he seemed lost as he looked off into space, simply enamored by the sky, "It's been a while since things have been peaceful..." he said sitting down on the sand.

I looked at the guy with a smile, but something he'd said stuck for a second, "What do you mean 'it's been a while since things have been peaceful'?"

The guy stopped smiling, "It's nothing, kid," he laid down in the sand rubbed his face, "I've just been through a lot today," he flopped his arms on the sand and stared off at the stars again.

I sat down next to him and looked off at the stars as well, "I know what you mean," I twiddle my fingers, "I know I just met you, but maybe we could help each other?" I didn't know why I felt shy asking him this. I was usually so outgoing, I blame my lack of sleep.

The guy looked at the stars then to me and smiled a faint smile, "Sure, but let's hear about yours," he ruffled my hair, "Whatever happened made you tired."

I giggled a bit, "I mean, if you want me too," I laid down in the sand, "Well it all started when I found out my mother was an intergalactic war criminal... kinda..." I looked over to his face, it was surprised and a bit unsure, "My mom was a Diamond, a race of alien gem people, who invaded earth years ago wanting to be like her siblings, but then saw it's beauty and worth. Then she disguised herself as a soldier to fight against herself in a war, and even faked her own shattering."

"Shattering?" the guy asked.

"It's basically death for gems..." I said, closing my eyes just a for a second, "After that she lived in hiding as that soldier named Rose, with her friends she'd made in the war. All that's left of her exists in me, and it's really upsetting."

"So what happened, your mom died?" the guy asked, now really intrigued.

"Well no..." I lifted my shirt to show my gem, "She gave up her physical form in order for me to live in this world," put my shirt down, "So I'm half gem and half human."

"Well that's a lot to take in," the guy scooted a bit closer and rolled to his side so he could chat with me easier, "So did you just find that out today?"

"No, I've known a lot of that for nearly a year now," I said rolling over to face him, "I've been struggling to sleep after being having seen my... relative, White Diamond, mind control my friends, The Crystal Gems, and then my own... sisters?" I wasn't really sure what I'd call the diamonds, "Yellow and Blue."

"That's a lot to take in too, bud," the guy seemed really concerned, "So, is that's what's been bugging you?"

"Well yeah, and the fact White Diamond temporarily kinda killed me sorta," I said rolling back onto my back, worried what he'd think. I don't know why I was worried, I was used to talking to people all the time about my problems.

The guy placed a hand on my shoulder, "I can't say that I've been through the same thing," he sat up and pulled me up and close, he felt warm sitting so close, "But I ended a war with an alien race known as the Hybreed," the guy shivered a second, "They attacked earth and me and my friends we helpless," the guy frowned and a tear trickled down, "I lost her that day..." he sniffled.

I felt so connected to this guy and suddenly found myself leaping to hug and comfort him. We both were surprised. Just as quickly jumped back, "I'm sorry..." I was blushing hard but I wasn't sure why. I hugged people in beach city all the time and never felt weird.

The guy sniffled and smiled a bit, "No don't be," he grabbed my hand and pulled me close, "It was nice."

I smiled just a bit, I felt my heart beating, "Could I do it again?"

The guy smiled, "I'd like that," he opened his arms and welcomed my hug. As we both embraced each other, we shared our pain and our feelings of loss. We knew that we understood each other and that's what mattered. We felt our inner lights merge and become one and then...

"Woah..." we said, "Um... who are you... I mean I...I mean," we walked to the ocean and looked at our reflection in the lustrous still surface. What we saw was a guy in a green and vertical white striped jacket, a black shirt with a star on it and the number 10 in the middle of it. The hair was longer, like a mullet almost and deep brown and on our wrist was that weird watch, "Who are... we?" We thought about that, and it was now I realized I didn't know this guys name. Suddenly his name appeared in my mind and with it gave me a name for us, "I think we're, Benjeven."

I waited for the fusion of me and Ben to break apart, but it didn't.

"I've never felt this before," Benjeven said, "It's so nice," a tear rolled down our eye, "So comforting," we yawned, "Hey, um, wanna go take a nap?" we both laughed, as Benjeven, "Cause some sleep sounds delightful," we hugged ourselves, "I think that sounds nice."

We headed towards the temple, and for the first time in months, I slept peacefully.