Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe!
Title: Bright Lights Above
Summary: Stevonnie spends some quality time watching the stars and discussing with themselves.
...
Sometimes, it's nice to be alone in their own head.
Sometimes, not so much.
Tonight is the former rather than the latter, and Stevonnie stretches out on the sand. They've never had a problem being the conjoined entity of two bodies; two minds pressed together without restraints.
They wondered if other people would be so willing to open themselves to another, then shook the thought away. You can keep yourself separate, even while fused. They've seen it happen with the gems a bunch of times. "I'm not scared to show everything." They murmured, wrapping their arms around their belly, feeling the semi-familiar, semi-not familiar, feel of the gem nestled there. "We've got nothing to hide."
"Of course not. We're just happier this way."
They raised a hand, fingers outstretched, to cut the moon into slices, the stars numerous and bright, albeit not as much as at the barn.
The thought of Homeworld being one of those stars filtered in, and a surge of protectiveness overtook them. Both sides of them would die for their home; Stevonnie would die for their home.
"Have you ever heard of soulmates before?"
They shook their head, then hesitantly nodded. "It's a love thing, right?"
"It can be." They replied. "But friends can be soulmates, too. If they're close enough, or they care about each other deeply enough. Not necessarily in that order."
They giggled, picturing Pearl and Amethyst arguing. Then Amethyst and Peridot hugging. Pearl and Peridot laughing. Garnet and everybody else curled up together to watch a movie. "When you've lived as long as they have, you're bound to be close."
Stevonnie made a noise of amusement and kicked their legs into the air. "They say, when a person is made, they're actually a half of a whole. The other half- the rest of the soul- becomes a completely different person, and the halves have to find each other. Sometimes, it takes hundreds of years- reincarnation a half-dozen times. After that, we're at peace."
"Huh." In their mind's eye, they pictured a line slicing Garnet down the middle, taking care to avoid the third eye, so as to not harm her. More of a puzzle piece than halves at this point, she falls to opposite sides of the galaxy. From the rubble came Ruby and Sapphire, whom immediately begin to search for each other.
They smile at that image. "More or less."
Amethyst and Pearl lean against the boundary, which doesn't cut them, but instead makes them different from each other, and special in their own right. Amethyst pushes through the line to punch her shoulder, and Pearl puts a hand to her head; silent symbols of love.
Peridot hisses at the line, then, spotting Amethyst, scrambles over to hide behind her. Amethyst laughs and swoops her into her arm, Pearl chuckling behind her hand.
Ruby and Sapphire touch hands. Garnet smiles at the trio before confidently strolling over to join in.
Stevonnie stretched. "That's a pretty story. We like it." Above them, the moon showered them in light, like a line cutting them right down the middle, before gluing them back together.
They rolled onto their side with a sigh. A part of them winces as their hair becomes trapped under their limbs; another, more experienced part of them ignores the familiar sensation of pulled hair. Stevonnie hardly notices.
"It must be nice." They hum. "To have a soulmate."
Author's Note: Stevonnie- and, by extension, Steven and Connie- are oblivious and adorable.
You have no idea just how hard it was not to include any ships of mine whatsoever. I wanted canon stuff for this; not that ships are bad. They're really not. I just wanted it to be like this and this only.
This is literally the fluffiest thing I've written in ages. I'm choking on it, it's so sweet. Geez. (Now, that doesn't mean I'm not proud of it.) I kinda feel like this would be better as a mini-comic, but I can't art. I can't even stick figure. My silly story will just have to do. =)
-Mandaree1