Strange Things:

Rating: T

Language: English

Couple: Lars/ Sadie

Strange Things:

"Garnet?" Steven asked timidly, the large Gem looked down to the small boy before getting on one knee to get close to him.

"Yes, Steven?"

"I-is there any good chance that we'll find Sadie… and she'll be ok?" Steven looked to the larger Gem with anxiety, his heart hammering as he was scared to find out the answer.

"There's quite a few, but there are others that can lead to devastation and sadness. We just got to be careful, we can never know which path is the right path." She rubbed his hair and stood up, walking away from him.

Steven sighed out, looking over at Lars that was in the middle of playing a chess game with Connie. He shuffled over to them, plopping down next to them to watch them play.

"Yo," and "Hey Steven" greeted the boy when he got to them.

"Hi guys, how's it going?" He tried to be his usual self, but he just wasn't feeling it today.

"It's going good, I'm actually beating Connie so far this time." Lars smiled proudly, and Connie rolled her eyes.

"Oh- whatever! You're just getting lucky."

"Sure- sure, whatever you say." Lars grinned down to the young girl while she glared up at him.

"Well," Steven started as he looked to Lars. "Why are you here, Lars?"

"What?" Lars and Connie both looked at Steven in surprise, and the boy blushed but continued on.

"Well… It's just that you don't need to be here," Steven pointed out, "you could be at home, be at work since they rebuilt the shop already. You could be with your friends; Connie, The Crystal Gems and I have this covered, so… why are you here?"

Connie looked at Lars then too, curious about his answer.

Lars' back went rigid as sweat started to bead up on his forehead as well as under his arms.

"Well, umm…" How could he explain this?

"It's-" he sighed. "It's my fault Sadie is missing in the first place." He hung his head in shame.

"What!(?)" Connie and Steven gasped at the same time. Lars only nodded solemnly.

"Yeah… I snuck out to hang out with Jenny and them; I was going to be gone for maybe half an hour- be back in time to close the shop, because no one buys doughnuts past 8 really-"

"I do." Steven got teary eyed at this, Lars rolled his eyes.

"Besides you, Steven." Lars crossed his arms, but his shoulders slumped when he remembered what he was telling them. "If I had just closed early and called Sadie to let her know, she wouldn't have been kidnapped. She wouldn't be wherever she is now." He stressed the word, his jaw clenched. "She wouldn't be alone."

The silence was tense, and Connie just moved her piece and then they continued playing their chess game in silence. Steven sitting, thinking about all that Lars had said to him.

"Do you like Sadie?"

Lars didn't look up when he answered.

"Yeah… A lot, actually."

He placed one of his knights down.

"Are you doing this because you feel like you owe her?" Connie asked, peaking up at him through her dark lashes. Lars stared down at the girl tiredly.

"I'm doing this because it's my fault she's gone." He started, Connie and Steven exchanged glances with each other. "I'm doing this because she's my best friend, my Player 2." His voice cracked slightly.

"I'm doing this because I-" he didn't know how to say it.

Garnet leaned against the door frame and Pearl stood against the wall, both waiting in silence.

"Because I…"

'I love her.'

"I… I have too."

.

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A/N: This is no longer small it's spiraling out of control