A few years had passed since Steven and Connie fused for the first time, Steven had saw more instances of fusion since then: seeing Opal a few times, seeing Pearl's and Garnet's fusion twice, and Alexandrite once.
And he saw Garnet everyday, after all she was a fusion as well.
But he had not fused with Connie since that night.
Nervous, maybe, Connie was very frightened(but excited too) of being a fusion, and they had rarely brought up that night because of Kevin, that weird guy that harassed them at the dance.
Steven and Connie were both 15. Well, Connie's 16th birthday was tomorrow, they were throwing her a surprise party at her house. Amazingly, her parents had allowed it...along with the talk of "don't touch anything" and "hug Connie for no more than 2 seconds."
Steven, as he grew older, wanted to do much more then hug her. He learned about the birds and the bees years ago and admittedly had done things while thinking of Connie. Knowing that they could be doing more things then hugging if he had just told her how he felt was agonizing.
But training and his fears of rejection had gotten in the way all these years, he loved the times he spent with Connie. But sooner or later, he had to tell her how he felt. There were times he was sure she felt the same, but times where he felt like he was nothing more than an embarrassment she had to put up with.
It was nothing she did, it was just Steven's fears taking over his common sense.
Also, her parents scared him a little.
Connie had only dated one guy during these years, he was nice and Steven was happy for them. It was bittersweet, until this guy had cheated on her for another girl and dumped Connie the day before Valentine's day. The next day Steven had spent the whole day trying to cheer her up, but never told her how he felt that day.
Too soon after he broke up with her, he had thought.
Connie and the jerk that shall remain unnamed did no more then hold hands because of her parents. Maybe it was her strict parents that made the guy start cheating on Connie.
Steven shook his head in anger, that's no reason to cheat on a girl, especially one as special as Connie.
"Bedtime, Steven." Amethyst walked into the room with chip crumbs escaping her mouth.
"15, and still forgets when he should be going to bed sometimes." Pearl smiled faintly in amusement, then looked down at Lion as he walked past her and onto Steven's lap.
"Haha, good Lion." Steven petted his mane and nudged him a little. "But they're right, I got to go to bed."
"Hey Steven." Garnet came up to him and put her hand on his shoulder and moved in to whisper. "Good luck with telling Connie."
"Wha? How did you...oh, right." Steven blushed a little, he forgot about Garnet's future vision. "Do you know how it'll turn out?"
"You will just have to tell her yourself to know the outcome." Garnet smiled. "Goodnight, Steven."
"Night, Garnet." Steven climbed onto his bed and it took an hour before his worries tired him out and he fell asleep.
"Steven!"
Steven got up and realized he was dreaming, standing on huge pink clouds and before him was a big silhouette.
"Mom?"
"You have many paths to choose from, you can be a Crystal gem by yourself and lose all those you love from old age."
"That would be terrible!" Steven gasped.
"Yes, I had thought of staying as a permanent fusion with your Dad. But I became pregnant with you and I wanted to introduce you into the world." Rose Quartz explained.
"I remember." Steven sighed.
"You can control your age and be immortal just like your fellow Crystal Gems, you could save one of your friends from the grip of death."
"Connie?"
"You could be Stevonnie forever and keep Connie's age at a standstill, but it is a huge decision. Even more big then Garnet fusing, they have each other, but Connie's parents would die eventually." Rose Quartz turned around to face her son. "Connie would really care about you to make this decision, for you two to spent an eternity as one being. She'd have to be a Crystal Gem alongside you."
"She'd never do that, we're just best friends." Steven sighed. He was shocked when Rose giggled.
"I see the way she looks at you, Steven." Rose Quartz gave a dazzling grin and looked at her son with eyes full of love. "I know the many ways you think of her, you have my gemstone after all. I would know these things!"
Steven blushed heavily thinking of Connie again, but he looked back at his mother expectantly.
"Tomorrow, and not a day past. You've delayed long enough, my son." Rose Quartz lowered herself to give her son a small kiss on the forehead.
"Wouldn't Greg want to be immortal?" Steven asked.
"Your father loves you very much, but I'm afraid without me, immortality might be too painful for him" Rose Quartz got up and stepped back. "Good luck, Steven. Good luck with Connie."
"Thank you, Mom." Steven smiled weakly, still wracked with worry, as his mother disappeared from view.
It was the evening of Connie's birthday. Steven, the Crystal Gems, Greg, and Connie's parents waited for Connie to come home from tennis practice.
There were gifts below the kitchen counter, and there was carrot cake on the counter and salad and veggie pizza. Steven was used to the healthy(maybe a bit too healthy) lifestyle of Connie's family.
Whilst everyone else was adding final touches to the party, Garnet looked at Steven and lifted her sunglasses to look at Steven teasingly with her three eyes.
"Oh shut up." Steven chuckled. But at the same time, he was still nervous and started to ask to himself...how would he even get her alone to tell her?
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"It's unlocked, dear!" Connie's mom said.
"Mom, you never leave the door unlock-" Connie started as she opened the door, but her eyes widened as she saw everyone there.
"Surprise!" everyone said.
"You guys threw me a birthday party!" Connie gasped. "Thank you!"
"It was Steven's idea." Amethyst grinned and nudged Steven. "Right, Steven?"
"Y-Yeah, it was." Steven blushed and ran his fingers through his hair nervously.
The party had turned out to go really well, the presents were opened and everyone was talking while Connie's mom was cleaning pizza stains off the couch.
Connie walked into her room to put her tennis stuff away, the door was slightly open.
Okay, now it's time.
Steven opened the door and Connie looked over at him, blushing.
She was shirtless.
"Crap, sorry!" Steven looked away and crawled under Connie's bed. "Um...do you want me to leave?"
"No, that's OK Steven." she stuttered a little and reached a hand under the bed. "You can come out."
"Well, do you want to put a shirt on first?" Steven looked at Connie's hand and held it.
"I'll put it back on before I leave the room." Connie snickered. "Unless you'd rather not look."
"Oh no, I like you shirtless-I mean I don't mind, heheh" Steven winced at his mistake. "Ah, sorry."
Steven crawled out of the bed and looked over to see Connie still shirtless, the only clothing on her body was a pink bra and panties. She was laying on the bed with her arms behind her head and her legs crossed. Her feet played with the end of the blanket.
Steven sat on the bed, his face getting hot.
"Sorry, I look like an awkward platypus without my normal clothes." Connie chuckled to herself. "But um, I don't know why I didn't put anything on."
"Heh, yeah." Steven looked and noticed Connie had closed and locked the door. "Um, Connie?"
"Yes, Steven?"
"I er, like you."
"I like you too Steven."
"But, like...let's just say I don't think you look like an awkward platypus with just the bra and panties on. You look beautiful." Steven admitted.
"Really?" Connie rolled over to face Steven and moved two fingers up his chest. "You've always looked handsome, Steven"
"Wow, thanks!" Steven smiled and grew nervous eyeing the two fingers reaching his lips. "I think I love you Connie."
"I know you do, Steven." Connie smiled softly. "I always wondered, 'why me?' through all these years, you've never even taken a girlfriend."
"I never wanted anyone else." Steven said matter-of-fact.
"I thought I wanted him, but that was a big mistake." Connie frowned. "I'm sorry if watching me with him was agonizing."
"It's OK, Connie." Steven moved over so their faces were close. "You don't think we could-"
Connie giggled and pressed her lips to Steven's and ran her fingers through his hair. Steven kissed back but didn't do anything else because he wanted to make sure Connie wanted it first.
Connie began moving her finger around the edge of her bra and it became enticing to Steven.
His gem started glowing.
I don't want to become Stevonnie yet!
"Connie?" Steven said as he pulled away from Connie's sweet lips.
"Yes, Steven?"
"I want us to be one, I'm not going to die." Steven explained. "So I want you to join me eternally as a fusion."
"Like Garnet?" Connie asked.
"Yes, but every mortal person you know would die and in the long run, it'd just be us and the Crystal Gems. You'd have to become a Crystal Gem."
"You're asking me to spend the rest of eternity as Stevonnie?"
"Yes, but it's OK if-"
"I'll do it, right here."
"Why now? Your parents and well, everyone else, will freak out." Steven replied, remembering Pearl's reaction. "Especially your parents!"
"Well, they definitely can't separate us." Connie sat on Steven's lap, facing him.
"Oh Connie..." Steven closed his eyes as Connie laid his head between her breasts. "But they're going to notice we've been gone."
"Then let's get to it then!" Connie said excitedly as she jumped off the bed and began twirling, her beautiful figure dancing.
Steven grinned and joined her as they danced an intimate dance, Connie moving towards him as if to kiss him but then pulling away and continuing the twirling.
Connie fell, knowing Steven would catch her, and they had fallen into the same position that they had years ago on the beach.
"I love you, Steven." Connie smiled and pressed her lips to Steven's before they were enveloped in the glow of the gem...
"I did it!"
Stevonnie lifted off the bed, her design was identical to Steven's only under her clothes was the pink bra and panties Connie had been wearing.
You sure you want to be this way forever?
Yes, Steven. I want to be part of your universe, for as long as time will give us.
I'm so happy, Connie...let's go tell everyone.
Of course, everyone's reactions were what Stevonnie expected. Connie's mom tried to separate them, but Stevonnie pulled out her shield and blocked her frustrated attacks.
After the Crystal Gems sat down with Stevonnie, Greg, and Connie's parents, Connie's parents understood(or at least began to get the concept) what happened.
It was hard for everyone, but they all accepted it. Maybe except for Connie's parents, but still.
Stevonnie gathering things from Connie's room since she'd be moving to live with the Crystal Gems.
"Good luck, Stevonnie." Garnet said in front of the door.
Stevonnie looked at Garnet's sunglasses and thought she saw two figures in the lens before it quickly disappeared.
They'd be together forever, it was very risky.
But what good is life if there's no risks?