Disclaimer: I own nothing other than my OC, James.

James scrubbed his hair, lathering when he heard a knock at the bathroom door.

"Yea?" He heard the door crack open.

"Hey I got you your clothes, I didn't know what to pick out so I just got whatever."

"Thanks, Steven." He heard the door close and gave a soft sigh. He had been staying here for a couple weeks. Nobody asked anything from him, he felt guilty; with another sigh he rinsed out his hair and turned off the water then pulled back the shower curtain and dried off. He pulled on the dark red crop top with a yellow star on the front and grey shorts. When he stepped out of the bathroom, rubbing his hair dry with the towel he noticed Steven and Greg and the gems sitting at the couch.

" hey, what's up, guys?" Steven looked up as did Greg and the gems.

" oh, your out of the shower! Good, listen, I remember you telling me the other day that you forgot last name so how about...you get a new one?" James tilted his head in confusion

"What Steven is trying to say here is...you want be a universe?" Greg asked, James froze.

" I'd be part of a family again..." he thought as tears formed and fell, he smiled and then he started to laugh and nodded quickly.

James brushed his teeth, feeling nervous. He looked himself over in the mirror, the tight black shirt clinging to his slender form with the star shape opening at the bottom showing off his gem. He smoothed out his grey skinny jeans and walked out of the bathroom.

"Guys, I dunno if this is such a good idea."

" but this is your first official date with Lars" said Steven

"I know and I couldn't be more nervous if I tried..."

"You'll be fine, J." there was a knock at the door and James practically shot a foot in the air.

"I'll get it" Pearl started to get up

"N-no, its fine, I'll get it." James said then gulped and made his way to the door. He opened and blushed when he saw Lars, he was wearing a dark red button up short sleeve shirt and white skinny jeans with black shoes.

"You look good" Lars said, James felt his face get hot.

"Y-you too." He replied as he started to step out.

"See you guys later." He called as he started to leave with Lars

"Come home at a decent hour." Replied Pearl

" Have a nice time" added in Garnet

There was the sound of bottles being broken and Lars picked out a black goat with purple eyes then handed it to James who hugged it.

" thought you'd like it" he said with a smirk, they walked down the broad walk of Funland. Through out the night they went on rides and ate cotton candy and other sweets until they found themselves on the beach, just sitting and talking with the goat plush near by watching over their shoes as the shore washed against their feet.

"So, what's it like to fuse? Is it the same as when Steven possessed me?"

"I don't think so. But I haven't tried I mean my gem is corrupted, remember? I might mess up their gems "

" right...sorry, I forgot."

"But it sounds like it'd be cool..." mumbled James. He noticed Lars get up and pull out his phone and play a male cover of E.T., he laid his phone on his shoes then held out his hand to James with a small smile.

" how about you try fusing with me?" James looked at Lars's out stretched hand and wanted to take it but held back.

" I want to but...I'm alittle scared. I'm scared of what'll happen, what you'll see, what if the corrupted gem messes you up somehow? What if-"

"James, it's okay. Now, try with me." James looked at Lars's hand and sighed softly then took his hand. Lars helped him and the two danced to the music underneath the glow of the moon, Lars led and James followed. He enjoyed himself and became lost in the music and in the feeling of Lars's hands on his body. He felt a warm feeling spread through his body, it slowly start to consume him as Lars leaned in with closed eyes, pressing his lips against James who in return closed his eyes and kissed back.

Eyes opened and slowly came into focus, looking around for someone.

"James, where'd you go?"

"I'm right here, where're you?"

"Wait a minute..." hands flew to Lars's phone to use a mirror. Gasping softly, the phone was dropped on to the sand.

"Lars, we did! We fused!" He hugged himself

"We gotta show the others!" He grinned excitedly looking down at himself wearing a pair of skinny jeans with one leg being white and the other grey and wearing Lars's shirt unbuttoned to show James's shirt. He picked up the phone and the goat plush, deciding to come back for the shoes later.

"You guys!" Steven got up from the sofa with a surprise gasp that quickly formed into a wide grin with stars in his eyes.

" pretty awesome, right? "

"Yea, it is! Garnet, Pearl, Amethyst! Come see this!" The gem door glowed and all three gems came out and stopped when they saw him.

"Wow, this is so cool, dude!"

" so how does it feel?" asked Garnet with a small smile, he blushed and rubbed his neck

" it feels...great"

"I'm glad you two had fun but I think you two should unfuse and Lars should head home, it's pretty late. " He flinched when the clock said it was almost 1 am.

"Sorry, Pearl..."

"Now to unfuse, just think of moving away from each other." He inhaled then exhaled as he closed his eyes and focused. There was a flash of light and Lars stood there, holding James close to his body, they opened their eyes and looked at each other both smiling and blushing but once they realized they weren't alone they quickly pulled away from one another.

"Oh, man, I just remembered we left our shoes on the beach."

"Let's go get them." The two started for the door.

" I'll go get them. James, say goodbye to Lars then in the shower and to the couch with you" James pouted but did as he was asked, Lars stole a kiss before leaving and grinned when he saw James's face turn red.

A few days later, James and Steven were playing video games when his head started hurting.

" I'm going to take a break. Maybe I've been staring at the tv too long..." He told Steven as he put the control down and walked off from the racing game. He didn't get far when he fell to his knees and hissed in pain, his purple snake like tongue flicking out. The tentacles came out and flicked around in response to his pain but the tentacles seemed to be in pain as well. Steven quickly forgot the game and rushed to James's side.

"James what's wrong?!"

" m-my head and my gem they hurt" James cried out in pain as the tentacles flicked around, one of them pushed into Steven and sent him flying on to his bed, his head hitting the wall. He started to black out as James was left in pain with his tentacles wrecking the place.

" Steven, wake up." He felt someone gently shaking him, he became fully awake and noticed it was Pearl. He got up and looked around for James, the place still a mess.

"He said he wanted to be alone. The corruption got worse, he grew horns and black sharp nails. He took that goat that Lars got him." Steven gave a soft sigh and helped clean up the place then went off to go look for James. While looking he pulled out his phone and texted Lars, who rushed over wearing his big donut shirt.

" you came from work?"

"that doesn't matter, what's wrong with James? What do you mean you can't find him?"

"Pearl told me the corruption in his gem got worse and he grew horns and sharp claws. He ran off somewhere." Lars gritted his teeth and ran off, Steven following him. They eventually found him in the forest after asking onion a few things. He was sitting down, sniffling, tightly hugging the plush goat to his body when he noticed Steven and Lars.

" I'm more freaky looking now...as if the eyes and tongue and fangs weren't enough..." Steven took a step forward and was about to speak.

"Leave me alone! I'm a freak, at least you can pass for a normal human Steven!" He shouted as tears formed and the tentacles bursted forth, reacting to his emotional stare, they lash out and Steven and Lars ducked as a tentacle knocked over a tree and another sliced one near by it in half, Lars gritted his teeth and did a power slide toward James, pulling him into his arms.

" I can't pass for normal and you still like me right? So, I don't care what you look like either. I like you for you, not what you look like and I'm sure Steven and the others feel the same way I do." Lars explained, the tentacles slowly calmed down and went back into his gem. James rested against him, his claws digging into the pink teen's shirt. Lars blushed and kissed one of James's horns.

"You're really cute sometimes, you know that?" Lars mumbled to himself as he pulled the hybrid closer to him. Steven felt that he was introducing on a moment so he told them he was headed back home and left the forest.