Disclaimer: I don't own "Steven Universe".

Author's Note: So, I've had this story idea in my head ever since watching "Rose's Scabbard" (Season 1, Episode 45) in which Pearl goes a little crazy over missing Rose and Steven (almost) learns just how much Rose meant to her. Some things will be naturally out of character. If anything seems off, please let me know, but be kind-this is my first "Steven Universe" fanfic! Please review; it's always encouraging! ~Sillycritter

"Do you remember this place? Do you have any of her memories?"

-Pearl, "Rose's Scabbard"

Every morning, after breakfast, it was a daily ritual for Steven to get a quick kiss on the cheek from each of the Gems before heading out on his day. This morning, however, something was wrong: Steven knew it, and so did Pearl, when it was her turn to kiss him.

As soon as she bent to kiss Steven on the cheek, Steven ducked suddenly out of the way, so quickly that she got a mouthful of his hair in the process, spitting it out with disgust. "Steven! Are you okay?" Pearl exclaimed with obvious concern. (Steven had always appreciated her kisses.)

Clearly, Steven wasn't "okay"; he was behaving very...oddly; so oddly, in fact, that both Amethyst and Garnet stopped in their tracks and stared back with comparable looks of confusion.

Steven didn't answer right away. In fact, he couldn't seem to look Pearl in the eye, and if Pearl was right in her assumptions, it appeared that he looked almost embarrassed by her affection, rather than pleased by it, like he usually was. This wasn't normal for Steven at all. No, this was downright worrisome. Completely befuddled and more than just a little worried about her young charge, Pearl reached two fingers out for Steven's chin. She was more than surprised and, if she was honest, more than a little hurt when he flinched at her touch-but slowly turned his eyes upwards, to finally lock in place with her own.

"...Steven?" Pearl murmured after an extremely awkward moment during which Garnet made herself busy with packing sandwiches for lunch and Amethyst stared at the ceiling, "...what's the matter...? Did I...did I do something..." She almost couldn't say the rest of the sentence through the lump in her throat, "...wrong...?"

"No," Steven said at last (at which point Pearl let out a huge sigh of relief-he 'd spoken!) "it's not that Pearl...I'm..." Looking a bit confused himself, his face flushing and looking sharply away, Steven scratched behind his head and shifted from one foot to the other, "...I dunno. I guess I'm just a little tired or-or something." He forced a weak smile on his face, so forced that it hurt for Pearl to look at, and she wanted to reach out and hug the boy, but for some reason, she held back. Thinking all the while: This isn't right. Something's very wrong here. This isn't like Steven. Where's my happy-go-lucky, lighthearted Steven?

It was true, he did have heavy dark circles under his eyes. "Are you...sick?" Pearl questioned, moving a hand for his forehead, and, to her astonishment, Steven cringed and ducked again, this time more quickly, as he moved to snatch his backpack.

" 'M fine, don't worry 'bout me, talk to ya later, bye!" Steven shouted as he ran out the door in a hurry, leaving Pearl behind, mystified and beyond understanding.

"Well...I wonder what all that was about?" she murmured, finally voicing her concern to the others.

"He's a growing thirteen year old boy, Pearl," was Garnet's pat answer from the kitchen, "It's not easy being young."

Her sense of certainty about the situation, and the fact that she didn't seem the least bit concerned (and where the heck was Amethyst?) left Pearl quietly fuming. "Well-what do YOU know about it!?" Pearl shrieked, "are you a growing thirteen year old boy!?"

"No," was Garnet's ever-calm answer, "of course not."

"Well-fine then!" Pearl shouted, before stomping off to her room alone. She had to think. Something had to be done. She had to find out what was going on with Steven.

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When Steven got to the middle of town, he finally slowed down to a breathless shuffle, but, even then, he was finding it hard to catch his breath. Pearl wasn't the only one who was worried; he knew he'd hurt Pearl's feelings, and he couldn't understand why. Stranger yet was he didn't know why he hadn't let Pearl kiss him on the cheek like every other day. While it was true he was tired, he couldn't explain this other feeling that seemed to be getting in the way.

It was hard to describe, this feeling; it was like everything all at once coming together in a whirlwind, and threatening to overcome him. Steven wasn't used to such things. He was used to things being simple, and fun, and carefree; he was used to going on adventures and making castles in the sand. He loved Pearl dearly and didn't want to see her hurt. None of this made any sense, and to make it worse, the whole thing made him angry to the point where he couldn't seem to see straight; everything was becoming a blur.

Steven sat down on the nearest park bench. What was happening to him? Why was he acting this way? What was this strange...feeling, that seemed to be taking over him?

Maybe I'm losing my mind...

TO BE CONTINUED...