To Steven's relief, Connie and Pearl had decided to take a break from sword training that day. As much as he looked forward to training with her from that point forward, he couldn't help but be bothered by everything he'd seen and heard throughout the weeks prior.

I'm nothing.

Steven gulped at the memory, and turned to look at Connie, who was reading next to him on the couch, their lukewarm strawberry jam-covered biscuits left uneaten. They'd both been unusually silent ever since the previous day with Pearl's mini-meltdown over Steven fighting next to Connie, and he wouldn't have minded so much if not for the nagging thought at the back of his mind.

"Hey…Connie?" he asked carefully. Connie looked up at him with a soft smile.

"Yes, Steven?"

Steven rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. "I just… I keep thinking about yesterday, and…"

Connie's eyes softened. "Yeah, me too. I'm sorry, I got kind of carried away. I just wanted so badly to protect you. To be…useful." She dropped her gaze to the floor, her smile fading ever so slightly.

"You're useful just the way you are," Steven insisted. "What I'm worried about is…" He took a deep breath. It was either get it out now or forever hold his peace. "Connie, do I make you feel like nothing?"

Connie looked up at him immediately with wide eyes. "Of course not, Steven! I'm sorry I worried you with all that 'I'm nothing' talk, I was just… I was in the heat of training, I didn't mean…" Connie sighed heavily, a blush spreading across her dark cheeks. "Steven, you don't make me feel like nothing. Not at all. You…you make me feel like everything."

It was Steven's turn to blush, but he smiled widely at her nonetheless. "You make me feel like everything, too." He picked up his biscuit and held it out to her, hoping to alleviate the fluttering that had risen in his stomach. "Jam buds?"

With a smile that made his heart soar, Connie picked up her biscuit and tapped it gently against Steven's. "Jam buds."

They both took a bite at the same time, and while Connie began chattering on about a new song she'd written for their next musical jam session, Steven found himself silently vowing that, no matter what happened, he would stay by Connie's side, caring for her and protecting her for as long as he could. He wasn't scared of what might happen to him when it came to her; she was his best friend, and it was the least he could do for her.

After all, she was everything.