CHAPTER 3: COMFORTING

Steven was making his way to the Big Donut, thinking about what had happend a few moments before; while he was walking, he began to think about the whole situation and that this time it wouldn't have been so easy to patch up things; he knew that Amethyst and Pearl have been used to yell at each other for many years, but this time something had changed, he has never heard Amethyst talking that way, saying those things. Steven knew that probably he would have had to help them patching up things because this time a simple "I'm sorry", pulled out by force from either Pearl or Amethyst, wouldn't have definitely adjusted things.

"I really hope Pearl will patch up things" Steven began to say to himself.

Deep in thought, Steven didn't notice that he had arrived in front of the Big Donut's door, so he entered the store without shouting any "Hello!" with his usual happy tone. Sadie looked at him and noticed that Steven hadn't got his usual bright smile on his face.

"Hey Steven, how are you? Why that long face?" Sadie asked.

"Oh…it's nothing…" Steven said with a little bit of sadness in his voice, "Just give me one chocolate donut…"

Sadie wanted to understand what was going on with him, she cared about Steven but she thought that maybe it wasn't the right moment to talk about it.

"Ok Steven… here's your donut..." Sadie said, giving him his donut.

Steven was walking towards the door when he heard a familiar, annoying voice.

"What's up? Problems with your four-eyed girlfriend or maybe with that freak show you call family?" Lars began to laugh holding his stomach.

Both Sadie and Steven turned to Lars with wide eyes, but the expression that Steven had on his face couldn't be described. Usually he would have just left the place with his hands in his pockets, keeping his face down, but not this time, not after what he had to go through that day, and no one would have expected what happened next. Steven began to walk towards Lars grinding his teeth, clenching his fists.

"Wait…wha" Lars stopped talking when he felt Steven's punch in his stomach, and even if Steven was only a twelve years boy, Lars actually felt the punch and kneeled down to the ground.

"DO NOT DARE TO TALK ABOUT THE GEMS IN THAT WAY AGAIN! THEY ARE THE BEST PEOPLE I HAVE EVER MET, THEY ALWAYS WANT TO PROTECT EVERYONE FROM DANGER, EVEN PEOPLE WHO DON'T DESERVE THAT…LIKE YOU!"

Steven gave him a look only made of pure disgust, shook his head and went out from the shop.

"What the heck is his problem?!" Lars shouted, turning to Sadie, only to be slapped on his face by her.

Steven began to walk towards the temple, thinking about what he has asked to Pearl, 'I hope that she will be able to patch up things, I know that she cares about Amethyst, and I know that Amethyst cares about her too, they only need to talk to each other and to be sincere'. Suddenly his phone began to ring, he watched the display and saw that Connie was calling him.

"Hi Connie" Steven answered the call.

"Hi Steven, how are you?" Connie asked, beginning to notice the sadness of Steven's voice tone.

"I'm…fine" Steven couldn't hide the fact that something was bothering him, especially to Connie, who knew him very well.

"Steven, I know that there's something wrong, do you want to talk about it?" Connie asked, a little bit worried, she knew that Steven was always optimistic, radiant and happy, and that if he was sad, there should have been something that was worth talking about.

"It's…it's that…I…I" Steven paused for a little and began to snort.

"Steven…you know that if there is something wrong that make you sad you can talk with me about it, you know that I'm your friend and I only want to help you…" Connie said with a gentle voice.

"Thank you Connie…you know…Pearl and Amethyst had quarreled and" Steven was interrupted by Connie who emitted a sigh.

"Again?" Connie said sighing.

"Yes, but this time it was…kinda different…"

"What do you mean saying 'different'?"

"I mean, they always shout at each other but…they just…say things like 'you are so childish' and 'oh well I'm sorry Ms. perfection'…they don't say anything but insults…this time…it was like if they reached their limits…Pearl pretended to be the only one who cares about me and Amethyst began to yell at her that she doesn't believe in me and that it's not keeping me at home like a dumb child that she will help me…and…I'm starting to think that I am the cause of their quarrels…" Steven stopped talking and his eyes began to water.

"Do not even think that Steven, they shout at each other only because they see things in different ways, but that isn't important, trust me, they love you and I am sure that they love each other, even if it's hard to see…" Connie said trying to cheer Steven up.

"Thank you Connie…" Steven began to smile, but his smile began to fade when he saw Amethyst shapeshifting into a bird, flying over the headlight with Pearl shouting at her, beginning to cry in her hands, rushing towards the house's door.

"S…sorry Connie now I have to go…" Steven said while closing the call, starting to rush to the headlight. He knew that something went wrong.

Steven arrived at the headlight's door, panting for the rush, starting to climb the stairs as fast as he could do. As soon as he entered the upper room, he saw Amethyst sitting near the railing, trying to hold her sobs.

"Amethyst…what happened?" Steven asked, not sure about how to act, in fact he never saw Amethyst in this state, she was always so bright and happy, regardless of what others thought of her but now…when she turned to him, trying to smile, he could see only sadness in her eyes.

"N…nothing buddy, it's alright, really…I…I" Amethyst couldn't hold her tears anymore.

Steven ran to her and enveloped her in a warm hug.

"Amethyst, what's wrong?"

"P…Pearl hates me…" Amethyst said between her sobs.

"Amethyst…you know that it's not the truth, you know that Pearl didn't really mean what she has said to you, I…know that it's really hard for you two to get along with each other, but you must understand that she only doesn't like the way you act, that's all…" Steven wasn't really sure about what he had just said, it was hard to think that Pearl and Amethyst quarrelled so much only because of their different personalities.

"Thanks buddy, but…you know…even for me it's easy to understand that there's something else, but I can't understand what…it makes me feel so…foolish"

"Don't say such things Amethyst! You are not foolish! Come on, where is the Amethyst who doesn't care about what the others think about her? No one can make you feel like garbage? Am I right?" Steven asked, smiling to her.

"He he, right…right" Amethyst replied, rubbing Steven's hair, wiping her tears. She wasn't really convinced, but Steven's words made her feel much better.

"Yesss" Steven smiled at Amethyst another time before getting up without saying anything else, knowing that even if she felt better, she wouldn't have followed him down to the temple that evening.

"Good night Amethyst" Steven whispered to himself as he began to walk down the hill.

After brushing his teeth, Steven walked towards his bed, being really tired. He went under his cover with a smile on his face, 'Maybe I'll be able to fix things, I only have to talk with Pearl and when the situation will be calmer I'll make them sit down and talk' Steven thought, 'Yes, they don't really…hate each other…I'm…I'm sure about it'. Steven closed his eyes…but then, suddenly, he heard a strange noise.

"Pearl? Garnet? Is that you?" Steven began to sit on his bed, feeling really cold, "Mmm, why is here so co…", as soon as he opened his eyes, Steven remained speechless, realizing that he could only see his bed; the kitchen, the warp pad, the temple's door, his bedroom were…disappeared. The only thing left was his bed, in a cold, endless darkness. Steven couldn't believe his eyes, he began to feel scared…really scared.

"Wha…wha…what's happening?!" Steven said, beginning to tremble. "Guys, is…is this a joke? I…I don't like it! Stop it! I'm…I'm" Steven stopped talking when he saw something horrible…a black hand…with long fingernails, began to rise above him, and when it was going to grab Steven's leg, a hellish voice could be heard coming from the darkness…

"What is your problem Steven? Afraid of the dark?"

Well guys here ends chapter number three, I hope you liked it, thanks for all the reviews, favs and follows, you can't even imagine how important they are for me, oh and if you have some hints for a new writer, please write them in the reviews. See you in the next chapter, it will arrive soon, I promise.