Far, Far Away

A Steven Universe Fanfiction

Chapter 2

A/N: So here we go, onto the second chapter. Sugilite is 4, Opal is 1, and Connie is 10. As always, feel free to leave a review with suggestions for future chapters, but I'll only write them with characters I've already introduced, as all of the entrances are carefully planned. I also think you guys should know that little baby Sugilite is the most fun to write out of all these characters.

Steven watched out the window of Greg's van, trying to commit everything he passed on the five-hour trip to memory but knowing he would probably forget all of this within the next week. In fact, he was so focused on the clouds and sky that he almost didn't realize when he could see the Beach City water tower in the distance.

"We're almost there!" The child crowed excitedly, bouncing a little bit. He really was excited, as reluctant as he had been to move. There really wasn't much of anything for him back in Empire City, aside from a few nice memories with the apartment. The other people living nearby, whether they be older or younger or the same age, all seemed to think his innocent energy was startling and overbearing. On the other hand, on his many visits to Beach City he had met some of the locals, and they were all just as quirky as he himself was.

Greg couldn't help but smile a little at his son's enthusiasm as he continued driving, knowing the way to the house on the beach by heart even though he hadn't lived nearby since Steven was only a year old. "That's right, buddy. We should be there in just a few minutes."

Steven's smile widened a moment, though it quickly disappeared. He rested his cheek on his arms as he stared out the window at the sky, which was a near perfect blue that day. ". . . Do you really think Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl want me around? I mean, they're always busy with Sugilite and Opal, and -"

"Of course they want you around!" His father interrupted, taking a turn past the Big Donut and driving onto the sand. "They love you. All three of them. The little ones, too. And, just between you and me, right after you were born they wanted to take you and raise you themselves without me."

Steven quickly turned back to him, eyes wide. "And they didn't?"

"Of course not! I'm the one that's had you up until this point, aren't I?" He pulled into a parked position near the edge of the water, looking out at the ocean nostalgically. "They recognized that they didn't have the right to take you from your biological parent. And, of course, they still have partial custody of you as a little bit of a leftover deal with Amethyst. This move is just making it so that you live with them and are technically under their custody, with me still living just in the town."

This was rather confusing to the boy, but he understood it fine, and nodded as he hopped down out of the van. He barely had any time to look around the beach, which he had never seen in the summertime, before he felt a smaller presence attach herself to his leg.

"Hiya, Steven!" The spirited voice of the preschool aged Sugilite declared as she grinned up at him, sunglasses in place as always. "Mom and Momma say you're here to stay now!"

"Yeah, I am!" Steven grinned and gently hugged the small dark-skinned girl as she cackled, though whether he should find that endearing or frightening he couldn't yet tell. Sugilite was known for being violent and causing trouble, to the point she needed to be homeschooled after being expelled from the preschools in both Beach City and the next town over.

However, she abruptly stopped laughing when a tall woman came over and scooped her up into her arms. Garnet smiled gently at her sort-of son and ruffled his hair lightly. "Hello, Steven. Was your trip good?"

He nodded happily, feeling a sort of glee that could only come with being around a family member you hadn't seen in a while. This feeling was only heightened when he was hugged from behind by a heavyset woman barely taller than him, almost being knocked over in the process.

"Yoooo, Ste-man!" Amethyst whooped excitedly, lifting him off his feet a bit in a tight hug and taking great joy when he giggled. "Now we've got four of us here! Maybe you'll get Pearl to chill out a little."

Steven chuckled happily. "I dunno if that's even possible, Amethyst, but I can try!"

The small gathering was completed when a tall fair-skinned woman walked onto the sand, carrying a small toddler with long white hair on her hip. "I do not need to 'chill out.'" Pearl scoffed in retaliation, though a warm smile opened up on her face as she kneeled over to give Steven a hug.

Quite a bit of small talk and catching up was done, though there wasn't really much to say; Steven didn't have many friends, and the city never held very much to do over the summer besides go to and participate in benefit concerts for various charities.

After a while, Pearl lightly ruffled the boy's hair and looked to Greg. "We have some things to talk about for now, just between us adults. Maybe Steven could explore the beach until dinnertime."

"That sounds good to me!" The child in question declared enthusiastically, still smiling so widely his face threatened to crack apart.

"Can I go with him?" Sugilite, who appeared to be rather bored with all of the nothing going on, asked her mother. She then pouted when Garnet shook her head.

"You're still grounded, Sugilite. You can go with him when you're five."

"But that's two whole months!"

"You got expelled, you are clearly too young to go exploring."

Steven used this opportunity to slip away and start his walk down the beach.

It was a rather peaceful day, the waves crashing against the sand in a calming lull that relaxed him but still kept the smile on his face. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and hummed a little song, a slight spring in his step.

He quickly noticed, however, that there was a dark-skinned girl reading just beneath a cliff. Steven was surprised a moment, not having noticed anyone to be on the beach (it was private, to his knowledge), and was unable to do much of anything for a minute besides stare at her.

Until, of course, he realized that a piece of the cliff was about to break off and land on top of her.

The boy made a squeaky noise of surprise and sprinted over, pushing her out of the way and to safety in just enough time. He then noticed that they were very, very close together, and he still had not introduced himself.

Awkward.

"Uh... hi! My name's Steven!" He spoke with a grin, standing up and offering a hand to help her, which she accepted and used as a support to get to her feet.

"I'm Connie..."