A/N: While watching the scene between Steven, Ruby and Sapphire outside the diner in Keystone Motel I wondered how did they fuse again? It's never really shown so this is my take on their thoughts about everything that happened and the aftermath. This is my first Steven Universe fanfic so please go easy on me!
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership over the characters mentioned in the following story, I am only borrowing them for fun and amusement.
Ruby and Sapphire's eyes both widened in shock when they heard the crash. When they saw Steven storm out of the diner they were both downright scared. Things had gone way too far and they both knew it.
"Come on." Ruby said leading the blue gem out of the diner.
"Steven!"
Steven turned around with a look on his face he rarely ever wore, the look of sadness with a mixture of anger. "I was so happy when Garnet said she was going to come on this trip with me and Dad. Home's been awful, here's been awful. I thought you wanted to have a fun time, but everyone's been acting awful too. It just came with us. I don't understand. Is it, it me?"
Ruby's eyes widened in surprise. Had they really pushed Steven in to believing he was the one to blame? "No, Steven it's all us!"
"But we made him feel like it was his fault, " Sapphire finally realized why Steven had wanted her to try to talk to Ruby even if she wouldn't listen. She should have known that there were other possible paths in the future and not just the one she was strictly focusing on. "I keep looking into the future, when all of this has already been solved. As if it doesn't matter how you feel in the present." Her voice broke as she felt the tears well up in her eye, "No wonder you think I don't care!"
"Sapphire!" Ruby nearly panicked when she saw the gem she adored shedding tears and she knew immediately she had been too hot headed, "No, no, no! This is all my fault! I didn't want to look for a solution I just wanted to be mad! You're right, you're always right. I was being stupid!" And she knew she was. She had always let her emotions get the better of her, especially if it involved herself and Sapphire. In her own way she cared about the other gems, well Amethyst now, Pearl, well she wasn't sure if she would ever forgive the slender gem. She had gone too far this time.
Sapphire hadn't wanted this. She never wanted things to turn out this way. She hadn't considered how this had been affecting Ruby or Steven. And now hearing Ruby call herself stupid made her regret not trying to talk to her even more, "I don't think you're stupid!"
Ruby was taken aback by Sapphire's outburst. It had been rare for the beautiful aristocratic gem to shed tears. So Ruby knew despite Sapphire telling her that she wasn't completely in the wrong she knew she was. She knew those tears were partially her fault, "I'm sorry." She gently moved Sapphire's bangs to the side revealing that breathtakingly beautiful eye. That eye was one of the reasons she had fallen for Sapphire almost 6 millennia ago. She could see how Sapphire really felt when she looked into her eye. She knew unlike her, Sapphire preferred to keep her emotions hidden and the best way to conceal them was to hide her expressions. Only Ruby was allowed to do this.
Sapphire looked at Ruby as the tears continued to flow. She couldn't hide her emotions around Ruby when it came to something like this and she held back another sob , "You honestly think I'm not upset about what happened?" she asked as she felt Ruby gently wipe the tears from her eyes. Ruby was always gentle with her, like she was the greatest treasure the former soldier had ever laid eyes on. "I was just trying to do the right thing."
"I know." Ruby spoke as she placed her hand on Sapphire's cheek, a rare calm gesture. She smiled when she felt Sapphire rest her cheek further into her palm with a sigh. As much as she loved being fused with the gem in front of her and it was rare for them to be apart, she found that Sapphire was still as beautiful as the day she had been assigned as her guard. She pulled Sapphire closer no longer able to keep her distance. "You what's nice about being split up?"
Sapphire wasn't sure if there was anything. After she had fused with Ruby for the first time, she had this longing to always be close to the other gem. When she was fused with Ruby she felt safe, loved, protected. Three things she never felt before she had met Ruby. Being apart wasn't bad it was just she rather be with Ruby at all costs. She knew Ruby felt the same, which was why it was so rare for 'Garnet' to be absent. "What?"
Ruby knew this would make the gorgeous gem happy, "I get to look at you." she said in a soft tone only reserved for Sapphire.
That did make Sapphire happy. In fact it made her down right giddy as she laughed and pushed Ruby away, "Be serious!"
It had worked, "There's my laughy Sapphy!" Ruby grinned as she pulled Sapphire back into her arms determined to make the other gem blush. When she worked her magic it was an easy task.
Sapphire glanced over as the blush did spread on her cheeks, a darker blue, almost invisible, only Ruby could see it easily, being that close. "Shh, you're embarrassing me in front of Steven!" She looked over to see Steven looking away. She gasped when she felt Ruby pick her up and begin to cover her in kisses causing her to laugh with joy. She could see the love and desire the other gem felt for her. She returned the expression wholeheartedly. Ruby ceased the kissing and looked at Sapphire with a warm loving expression, "I love you so much, Sapphire. You know you're my everything right?"
Sapphire nodded as she leaned in and pressed her lips to the red gem's holding her tightly. She knew they had been apart to long. She longed to be fused with Ruby again. She broke the kiss long enough to whisper, "I love you too Ruby." Before sealing her lips on the red gem's one again.
Ruby returned the kiss, deepening it as she gently set Sapphire down before wrapping her arms around the other's waist. She kept her lips locked on Sapphire's as she began to spin around. They never danced to fuse they always just put everything they felt for each other in a whirlwind almost identical to the first time they had ever formed Garnet. Only this time with the kiss and their embrace both gems knew that this time their bond was even stronger. They had overcome a major obstacle and it would take something crucial to break them apart again.
As they felt themselves become one they silently thanked Steven for everything. But now it was time for Garnet to return.
Later that night after they had returned from Keystone, Garnet exited her room and glanced up towards Steven's bed. No surprise it was still made. She stepped outside to see Steven sitting down by the water's edge. "She descended the stairs and approved the other Crystal Gem, "Steven? What are you doing out here?"
Steven glanced up at Garnet, "I couldn't sleep. I was worried about-"
"Ruby and Sapphire?"
Steven nodded as he drew circles in the sand. "Garnet I-"
"It's complicated but Ruby and Sapphire's bond is very rare. For them to split like that making me disappear was a huge thing. Ruby loves Sapphire with her very being, which is why she was so hurt when Sapphire well when that part of me wanted to forgive Pearl. But Sapphire loves Ruby as well. They're love for each other is basically identical. Neither one is greater than the other. It's why they are able to fuse to become me." Garnet spoke knowing what Steven was trying to ask.
"Do you think you'll ever forgive Pearl?" Steven asked.
"Ruby still doesn't want to. She is still deeply hurt by what Pearl did. And Sapphire well, she's already seen what's happened. But of course that's just one of countless outcomes of the future." Garnet explained, "Being a fusion is complicated. Both their emotions run through me. At one moment I can feel anger and the next I can feel serenity. It all depends."
"But are they going to be okay?" Steven asked.
Garnet smiled as she pulled the boy onto her lap and hugged him close, "Of course they are, they have you." She chuckled when Steven curled up into her lap, his eyes closing. She knew Ruby and Sapphire were going to be okay. When she had returned she felt her powers had increased. That could only mean when they had combined themselves Ruby and Sapphire's love for each other had increased too.
Yes, for now all was well. And she hoped that it would be for a very long time.
A/N: Well there you have it. Please leave a review or comment to let me know what you thought. And please look forward to a chaptered fic starting our cutest Gems in the near future from me! I also plan to write similar one-shots for parts in "Jailbreak" and "The Answer" Please look forward to them as well!