Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe!

Title: Flower Crowns

Summary: Steven and Amethyst talk on a more personal level than they would if Garnet or Pearl were there.

...

"Is it possible to, I dunno, love yourself but not at the same time?"

"No clue. Hand me that stem."

Steven did so. "I mean, I love being me. A lot. But I'm not her."

There's a level of embarrassment- and, admittedly, shame- in talking like this. This openly. But they're surrounded by flowers and Amethyst's long hair is a sort of silent reassurance on his back, and he feels almost like it's okay to try.

"I don't wanna be Jasper." Amethyst said, haltingly. "But..."

"Yeah." Steven sighed. "Yeah. Me too."

They pause in order to thread some flowers together. They're making flower crowns. Amethyst's back muscles are twitching. He wonders if he feels as powerful to her as her presence does to him.

They're both squishy and soft. They both managed to destroy the ruins.

"At least you get, like, a ton of powers." She probed finally. "And they can get cooler."

"Your powers are already cool."

"They suck. Jasper spun me into the sand, but when I do it, she kicks me into the air like a soccer ball?" Amethyst slaps her un-finished crown into the ground with her frustration. Steven has the momentary thought to interrogate her in how she knew how to make flower crowns in the first place, but it disappears as soon as it occurs. "Your stuff just keeps getting better. Mine's peaked, and they're weak."

"You have awesome stuff too! What about the purple fire, and your shapeshifting?"

Amethyst is silent.

Steven feels a semblance of triumph. "Gotcha there, didn't I?"

"We don't know Jasper doesn't have that stuff."

"We don't know if she does, either."

Amethyst sticks her tongue out in concentration. "Still wish I could float."

"Why? I could float off into space if I'm not careful. At least you know your boundaries." His shoulder slumped. "Man, I'm so stupid. It's no wonder you guys didn't use to let me on missions."

"We didn't take you along because most of the time we were doin' stuff that woulda required a buncha exposition, and G didn't really like that. Not to mention you kinda used to suck in a life-or-death situation." Amethyst gruffly told him. It ruffled and soothed him all at once. There was a patient, unhappy pause. "I hated those days."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. It felt like we couldn't talk 'bout anything, and you know how I deal with subtlety." Another pause. "Sorry, dude. We were jerks."

"That's okay."

"No, it's not."

"Yeah, I know." Steven swallowed and gathered his courage. "What's it like?"

Amethyst stiffens. "What's what like?" She sounds defensive.

"Losing somebody... y'know, that important to you."

"Steven..."

"I don't want pity." He said bluntly. "Lay it on me."

Amethyst sucked in a deep, steadying breath. "Kinda feels like gettin' part of your heart ripped out. 'Xcept... you can never get that piece back. It's gone, forever, and you gotta learn to live without."

"Oh. Wow. I'm..." He gripped the circular stone in his stomach in a familiar gesture. "I'm sorry."

Amethyst groaned. "Steven, don't be. M'ere."

They shuffled until he was firmly wrapped in a hug. Her pudgy arms barely seemed to cover the distance, but he didn't mind. Steven buried his face in Amethyst's shoulder, tears bubbling up in the corner of his eyes.

"We'd lose another part of ourselves, you know." She said, mouth hidden by Steven's fluffy hair. "If you left."

"Yeah? Thanks. And... you too."

"You shouldn't, but thanks."

"Same here."

Steven grabs the finished flower crown and presents it with a watery smile. It's far less flattened than her's. "Can I weave it in?"

"It'll take me forever to pick out, but why not?" She slowly released her hold on him and turned around, presenting mane.

When Pearl questions the blossoming closeness between, as well as the flower crowns, Amethyst reassures her that it's just one of those things.

Author's Note: I want Amethyst and Steven to be shame buddies, is all I ask. As for the setting for the story itself; I dunno! After Steven vs. Amethyst, of course, but I'm not sure about Bismuth.

-Mandaree1