Disclaimer: I do not own Steven Universe.
A/N: Ah! Such amazing requests! They will be done :D Thank you to everyone still reading, you have no idea how happy I am to hear from you all.
This little thing was on my mind for a while. So before getting to the requests, please enjoy one more little short.
Steven opened his tired little eyes. Another morning awaited him.
He sat up, and with a biiiiig stretch greeted his furry companion, "Good morning, Lion."
"Grarg" Replied Lion.
"Ewwww" Steven chuckled, waving a hand in front of his nose, "Lion breath."
Lion turned away from the young gem, "No. I didn't mean to make you mad." Steven got up to pursue the pink beast but stopped at the top of the steps, "Maybe I should change first. Got a big day ahead of me."
He looked over at the calendar. It was hard to believe it was already April. Just yesterday it seemed like he was watching the snow with Connie. Soon she would be on summer break and the two could spend even more time together.
Steven heard the temple door open below. One of the gems was awake! Maybe they would have breakfast with him.
"Oh!" From downstairs Steven heard Pearl make a startled nose. He could barely make out her words as she spoke, her tone a mix of relief and uncertainty, "It's just you both. What a surprise… um,- Amethyst!" She called for reinforcements.
Steven came down the stairs as fast as he could to see what was happening.
Sitting there on the couch he saw "Ruby and Sapphire?!"
"Hello, Steven." They said simultaneously. Realizing what they had done, the two gave each other a surprised look before sharply turning the gaze away.
"Uuuuh"
Just then Amethysts appeared from her room, she let out a yawn to show her displeasure, "Why are you yelling so early- AH!"
Pearl got a look on her face, as if to say 'Told you.'
"What happened?" Steven asked the pair, "I thought you two didn't like being apart."
Ruby hesitantly moved her head, trying to get a glimpse of the blue gem. It appeared as though she was truly trying her hardest to stay detached from the other.
"Uuuunlesss" Steven beamed, "I slept for a really long time and now it's my birthday!"
Amethyst giggled.
Pearl rolled her eyes, "It's not, Steven. You would have died of dehydration before that happened."
"Oh." He looked back over towards the two feuding gems, "Then, what happened?"
Seeing the young boy's concern forced Sapphire off her seat, "Steven." She hugged him, "Sometimes…"
"Yes?"
"Well, you see, in relationships…" Sapphire looked at a loss for what to tell the boy.
Pearl looked apprehensive, "Sapphire, perhaps Steven shouldn't hear whatever it is you have to say."
Sapphire shook her head, "No, I think he'll understand." The blue gem whispered words of 'comfort' in Steven's ear.
"What are you telling him?" Ruby asked grumpily, "Probably something bad about me." She mumbled to herself, knowing it was loud enough for everyone to hear.
"I only told him the truth." Sapphire replied, turning her face to the red gem. Pulling away from the youth, Sapphire asked the boy, "Do you understand?"
Steven's eyes were wide at first, much to Pearl's fright, but he soon nodded with his normal Steveny smile.
"Such a smart cutie-pie you are." Sapphire ruffled his hair a bit. She turned to Pearl, "See. No worries."
Despite the reassurance, Pearl was still worried.
Sure. Steven's 'innocents' may be safe, but there was still a matter of the apparent lovers spat. It had been centuries since Pearl had last seen these two gems, and though there were always around, the crystal gems as a whole had gotten used to Garnet's presence.
Pearl, Amethyst, Steven and Garnet were a team. But when Garnet spoke, it was the voice of the team. She was often the deciding factor, looked toward as a 'leader' after Rose gave up her physical body. Garnet gave direction, and had the ability to somehow make each plan seem secure.
Ruby and Sapphire individually were quite the gems: strong, wild and passionate. But, in Pearl's opinion, both truly were better together. Balanced and secure.
That is what made this quarrel worrisome to Pearl. With the two in such disharmony, there was no chance either would wish to form Garnet.
Looking over to Amethyst, Pearl could tell she was thinking the same.
Feeling completely ignored, the red gem finally stood, "Be like that."Ruby huffed, making her way toward the temple.
"Ruby." Steven called out to the red gem dramatically.
Pearl took a deep breath, shutting her eyes as she worked up enough nerve, "Ruby!" She shouted.
The room fell silent.
Ruby turned round, her face not at all pleasant.
Pearl instantly regretted the decision to get involved.
Luckily Amethyst was not at all intimidated by the overly expressive gem. In fact, she had missed spending time with her, "I know it's none of my business. But frankly you're both freakin' Pearl out."
Pearl turned toward Amethyst, ready to scold her.
"Let me finish." Amethyst silenced the slender gem, "If you leave I'm gonna be left having to deal with Pearl bothering me with her … herness."
Sapphire tried her best not to smile at Amethyst and Pearl's exchange. It felt strange to be completely herself, to view her friends through her eyes alone.
"In conclusion…" Amethyst continued, "What the Cookie Cat is going on?!" She looked between the two tiny gems.
Ruby looked over to Sapphire, a wicked smile formed on her face, "Well since Sapphire told Steven, I guess it's fine for me to tell someone 'the truth' too."
Sapphire covered her mouth.
"What?" Ruby asked innocently, "It'll only be the truth, right."
The red gem motioned the purple gem closer, whispering something into her ear.
Pearl tried her best to listen in, to no avail.
Amethyst pulled away, shaking her head, "Yo. That's messed up."
"What is?" Pearl asked. She suddenly realized that she was the only one in the room completely in the dark.
"I don't think you want to know, Pearl." Amethyst shook her head.
Pearl was growing perturbed; she looked to every face only to find each holding a different emotion.
Ruby looked oddly satisfied.
Sapphire was completely unreadable.
Amethyst seemed surprised.
And Steven looked …giddy?
Pearl tried her best to understand the situation, but something was amiss. It felt as though she were missing a vital piece of the puzzle.
"Whatever." Ruby finally spoke up, "I'm still leaving." She turned toward the temple door, letting herself into a rarely used room.
No one stopped her this time.
"Ya, I got stuff to do too." Amethyst said casually. She regarded Sapphire, "Just…wow. I would have never taken you for a gem who was into that kind of thing." The purple hued gem shook her head again, a knowing smile plastered on her face.
Sapphire looked away from that smile, covering her mouth yet again. Her shoulders shook a little and Pearl wondered if the petite blue gem was crying.
"Hey, since you're here. Do you want to spend time together?" Steven asked, "Do you like breakfast?"
Sapphire nodded, seeming to have already recovered, "I love breakfast."
Steven's eyes glowed like stars.
"I've got an idea." Sapphire clasped her hands together, "Let's have our meal in my room. It's very quant and I haven't spent time there in such a long while."
"Let me just grab some food!" Steven said excitedly.
In no time at all, Pearl was left alone.
There had to be a way to fix things and she was going to find out how.
After a long day of plotting and pacing, Pearl entered Sapphire's room.
It was empty.
"Where could those two have gone?" Pearl asked the emptiness, her eye twitched in annoyance. She followed the inner pathways of the temple, peeking into room after room.
Pearl finally came to a room with sounds of familiar laughter.
Why in this room?
Looking inside, Pearl was met with three very cheerful looking gems.
Pearl saw Steven with Ruby and Sapphire. The boy with the rose gem seemed to be having the best of times with them both. The three appeared to be playing a game of Steven tag.
Pearl noted Ruby and Sapphire's interaction in the game. They appeared to be just as bonded as ever, as though there had never been any sort of-
"Someone explain this."
Pearl's words caught the three off guard and the game stopped, everyone frozen in place.
The four eyed each other.
"Well!" Pearl crossed her arms.
"We forgot to tell her." Sapphire whispered in embarrassment, as though she had just remembered the day's earlier events.
It no longer mattered, Pearl was relieved, "You stopped fighting."
"Yaaaaa, We didn't exactly stop fighting." Ruby explained.
"I don't understand."
Ruby and Sapphire looked to one another, took a deep breath and-
"Happy April Fools Day, Pearl!"
The two did some sort of celebratory jazz hands.
"Oooh" Steven hooted, "They got you, Pearl."
"…"
"Pearl?" Sapphire tested, worried they had gone too far.
"I just remembered another reason I like having Garnet around."
