All characters are not owned by me but by the people who own Steven Universe. Many thanks for Maldevinine from Reddit for beta reading this for me.

Friendship from Light Years Away

By Marie Nomad

Steven lay on a bed in a bedroom in the cabin. His dad and the Gems felt that he should stay somewhere else while the house was being fixed. After all, Steven should spend time resting, healing, and just not worrying about the damage he caused. So, they took him to the cabin where he had a 'gemcation' after he escaped from Homeworld.

He felt strange, numb. A part of him felt confused. He was a monster, and all everyone cared about was him getting better. They didn't want him to fix the damage he caused. They didn't ask for anything, just that he let them take care of him.

He sighed as he looked at his phone. The cabin still had no signal, so he couldn't find out what the townspeople thought.

Lion nudged Steven to put down his phone. Steven rubbed his friend's head. Lion had been sticking by his side. As if he knew how much pain Steven was in. It felt nice. He had felt disconnected from Lion, like he felt disconnected from everyone and everything.

"Hey, Steven." Connie stepped into the bedroom. "Lars is on the phone, he was wondering if he could come over and visit?"

"Lars?" Steven repeated, dumbfounded.

"Yeah, he wanted to come over to visit," Connie repeated.

"Why?" He found himself asking. The last time he saw Lars, Lars was running off to space after Steven humiliated him and nearly killed him again.

"Because..." Connie paused. "I asked him to come. I thought you need another friend, and Lars might help."

"Does he know?" Steven's heart pounded in his chest. Thankfully, his gem energy was drained, and so he couldn't go pink. But, it was just a matter of time before he regains his powers and causes more chaos, more destruction.

"I just told him that you were having a hard time. He doesn't know about what happened. He's already on Earth."

"Tell him..." Steven stopped himself. He was broken, Lars shouldn't risk his life, his happiness. But, Pearl and the others wanted him to let others care for him. It was strange. Steven knew that once Lars knows about how much Steven had changed, Lars would run off to the stars and never return. "Okay, he can come."

XXX

"I'm not saying, treat him with kid gloves, I'm just saying, Steven's having a hard time. Try and go easy on him." Greg said as he drove Lars to the cabin.

"With what? The universe is safe, the Diamonds are actually cool, Emerald and I are even friends!" Lars asked.

"I think… I think that's something Steven should tell you, yourself." Greg sighed.

Lars couldn't help but wonder. Steven hadn't tried to contact him since he left. Was Steven mad at him? No, the kid couldn't hold a grudge. Still, everyone was just on edge. His parents talked about a giant pink monster attacking Beach City but didn't really know anything except that he was defeated. There weren't any accurate pictures of the monster, not even on Ronaldo's website, which was weird. Something this huge should have been all over the Internet, but it wasn't. He had heard about it from the Cool Kids and his other friends.

Lars looked at his own pink skin. Was Steven responsible for that monster? Did Steven actually create some fun creature, and it grew beyond his control to become a monster? With gem magic, especially with Steven, anything is possible.

Finally, the van pulled up to a lovely cabin in the middle of the woods. It was quiet, relaxing. Why was Steven in a cabin? If he needed a place to stay, he could just stay in a motel or in Greg's van. The situation was putting making him at unease.

Finally, he knocked on the door. Connie answered the door. She looked tensed and sad. "Hey, Connie." Lars greeted solemnly. "How's Steven?"

"He's okay right now." Lars couldn't help but notice that she said 'right now.' "Steven! He's here!" She called.

Lars walked through the cabin. It was bright and cheerful, and then Connie showed Lars a door. Lars could almost feel Steven on the other side of the room for some reason. Ever since Lars had come back to life, a part of him could feel where Steven was. It didn't work when Stevonnie was on a different planet.

She showed Lars to a bedroom, it was dark. Laying on the bed was Steven dressed in a pair of pajamas, and he looked haggard and worn. Lars' jaw dropped. He remembered the happy, fun little boy who was just full of energy. "What happened?" Lars asked. He didn't remember seeing Steven looking this bad even after what happened with Spinel.

"You don't have to be here." Steven just smiled sadly. "I won't bother you."

"I want to be here." Lars was becoming even more anxious. Steven just looked broken. "Just tell me what happened to you? Who did this to you? Tell me, I will make them pay!" Lars knows about the gems that were against Era 3. He fought against a few of them. If anyone had hurt Steven this badly, he would make them wish they were never born or hatched or whatever gems call themselves being created.

Steven started to laugh, but a strange type of laugh. It wasn't the fun type of laughter that Lars was used to. "I did it to me! I'm broken."

"Hey, Connie, can I talk to Steven, alone?" Lars asked.

"It's okay," Steven said as he just looked at Connie.

"Okay, but I'll be right outside. If you need me, get me. Please." Connie pleaded as she took his hand again. Steven just dipped his head. Connie walked out of the door but left it just slightly opened.

"Steven Universe, what happened to you?!" Lars demanded finally. This strange exhausted, depressed Steven Universe wasn't the Steven Universe he remembered. He remembered the little boy that just looked at the bright side of things. He remembered the little boy who laughed and smiled and sang songs at a drop of a hat. He remembered the little boy who cried his eyes out at the cancellation of that ice cream. What happened to that little boy?

Steven sighed. "Dr. Maheswaran told me that all the things I went through made my brain weird. I tried to get help when my powers went out of control. I did stupid things. I proposed to Connie. I wrecked Dad's van. I shattered Jasper and tried to shatter White Diamond."

Lars' jaw dropped. It felt like that Steven went on a straight downward spiral since Lars left Earth. Why didn't Steven call him? He would have come. He would have gone back to Earth and helped him. "Steven, I heard about a giant pink monster that tried to attack Beach City. Did you make him?"

Steven burrowed into the covers. "I am that monster. I did so many horrible things that I become a monster. No, I had always been that monster, I just hid it really well. The Gems, Dad, Connie, and even the Diamonds with Spinel helped me get back to normal. So, you don't have to stay. You already died once because of me. You don't have to risk your life again. Just go back to space, Lars. You don't have to put up with me anymore."

Lars didn't know what to do. Was Steven so far gone that he didn't see Lars as a friend? The space captain thought of all the things that Steven had been through. Then, it dawned on him. Every time Steven saw him, he was barging in the doughnut store or in the space ship. When did he actually visit Steven at his house? Did he ever call Steven? Why didn't he call Steven while he was in space?

"I'm such a clod!" Lars sat down next to the lump where he was sure Steven was at. Tears ran down the teen's face. "Steven Universe! You're my friend! I'm sorry I was a horrible friend to you! I should've called! I should've realized that you were in pain!"

"But, I embarrassed you and Sadie."

"That doesn't matter!" Lars put his hands on where he believed Steven's shoulders were. "You did everything you could to help me. I am a better man because of you! You shouldn't suffer like this!"

"But I'm a monster!"

"I don't care! You're the nicest, sweetest kid I knew."

"You're wrong. I… I had to hide my pain. The gems and others worry about me, so I smile. I smile to hide my pain until I can't fake it anymore. I'm a fraud. I had to help others because I don't know what else to do. But no one needs my help, and I have no purpose."

"You're… you're annoying, fine, but you're like a little brother I never had!"

Steven uncovered himself, and Lars saw the tear streaks down his face. "I'm like your brother?"

Lars grabbed Steven and wrapped him in his arms. Steven just looked stunned as he was held tight. "Yes! And I'm an idiot for taking advantage of you! I didn't think that you could hurt. I didn't think that you could be depressed. I didn't think that you could suffer. I didn't think that you would hide your depression. I swear. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay."

"It's not! I'm the adult. You helped me, let me help you."

"Can… you hold me a little longer? It feels nice."

"Yeah."

XXX

Lars tucked the exhausted Steven back into bed. During the visit, Steven hasn't bothered to leave his bed. Lars couldn't help but think that Steven staying in bed just couldn't be healthy.

The pink teenager slumped out of the bedroom and into the living room. Connie, Greg, and the Crystal Gems were sitting there. "Thanks for coming," Connie said as she smiled. "I think you brightened his spirits."

"That's brightening?" Lars demanded, and he glared at Greg. "Steven's been through a ton of crap! Didn't you think that maybe he might need some therapy after he saved the universe? When I came back, Mom and Dad dragged me to counseling, and I'm glad they did!"

Greg just slumped down. "I know. I didn't think he was that bad until he was in the hospital being giant-sized."

"Oh, and you guys didn't think that Steven's in that bad in shape until he became Stevezilla?!" Lars pointed to the Crystal Gems. He glared at Garnet who twitched. "I thought you could see the future! Why didn't you see this coming?!"

"Throwing blame won't solve anything. All that matters is helping Steven." Connie interrupted.

"And of course the sixteen-year-old girl is the mature one!" Lars pointed out. He was pissed. Steven had suffered, and no one noticed, not even his family. But, Lars hadn't notice either. "So, what can we do? What can I do?"

Lars thought as hard as he could. He barely graduated high school. He didn't know how to help someone who went through trauma like Steven. The only person who he would ask on how to help someone like Steven was Steven.

Then, it dawned on him. He will help Steven like Steven would but only in a much more responsible way. "I have an idea. But I'll need your help."

XXX

Steven wasn't sure if it was a good idea. He had a chance to rest for a few more days and he could walk around. Yet, he didn't like the idea of leaving the planet while he was still vulnerable. He had been to space a lot. He could go to any place in the Galaxy with just a simple warp pad. But, space itself still have a sense of danger.

Yet, Lars wanted him to come. Pearl and the others insisted that Steven go. Steven trusted Lars. It was just the idea of leaving Earth scared him.

"Everyone's coming. Even Greg." Pearl said as she made sure that everyone brought swimming stuff. Steven was dressed in swimwear with a shirt over it. So, he knew that he would be going swimming.

"Are you sure, Dad? I thought you don't really go to space trips." Steven asked uncertainly.

"I'm here for you, remember? Besides, Lars said that the place is in a very friendly area."

Steven knew that Lars would find a friendly spot but there was still the matter of the fact that he is a mess and that he could again turn back into 'Stevezilla'. "We're here, Steven." Connie held his hand.

"Okay." Steven took a deep breath. "Dad, Connie, take a deep breath. Dad, don't let go." Everyone held hands, and Steven went into Lion's mane.

Steven pulled himself out of Lars' hair and pulled everyone else out. "GAH!" Lars yelled.

The teenager felt massive guilt for putting Lars through this much pain. "Lars! I'm so sorry, I should've realized that bringing so many people would hurt you." Greg put his hand on his stomach and winced.

Lars held up his hand to silence Steven. "I'm okay. Really. It just feels weird, and I insisted that you do this, and I know that everyone wanted to come. Follow me." Lars walked the group through the ship and out of the central loading bay. Steven's eyes widened at the sight of a beautiful garden.

It was a massive lake with huge trees that looked like weeping willows but much larger, and their leaves are purple. Golden butterflies the size of cats flew by. Lizards in the trees were chirping songs like birds which made Steven giggle a little. Usually, when he travels to other planets or even just other places, he was there to help out or to save someone. He didn't remember the last time he visited a place just to have fun.

Lars explained as he gestured to the place. "Oh yeah, this place was half terraformed when Steven stopped it. The gems had the changes reversed. It even has a hot natural spring. I checked the place, the temperature is perfect for humans."

"Good, Dad and Connie will be fine."

Lars and everyone else frowned at Steven. The space captain didn't like the fact that Steven still didn't see himself as human. "I was saying that it would be good for you too. Because, as crazy as it sounds, you're human." He pointed out.

"Oh."

The hot springs lake was set up with towels, various pastries, juices, and more flowers. "You bake little pastries for us!" Steven gasped as his eyes turned into stars.

"Yeah, well, this is a relaxing spot so yeah," Lars confirmed.

Steven stepped into the water first. The water was warm and smelled like peppermint. The heat seeped into his muscles and into his bones. "Ahhh..." He gasped as he closed his eyes.

Greg and the others sat next to him. "Oh yeah." Greg gasped as he stared upward. "I'm never leaving this lake."

Steven smiled slightly at the sight of everyone relaxing. "So, what do you think?" Lars asked as he stripped off his cape and shirt and sat down next to Steven.

"This is nice. I don't know any place in the universe existed like this."

"Oh yeah. There are so many interesting places out there, different planets that are thriving, different colonies being inspired by Earth. It's amazing, dangerous, but amazing." Lars explained.

"Sounds like fun."

"You can visit when you want. You have to call first, but you can visit me." Lars tapped on his head.

"I… I can visit you? You- you want me to hang out with you? You know what I did." Steven felt stunned. He didn't know why he didn't think of it before. Maybe, it was the idea that Lars didn't want him to come.

"Yes, I want to hang out with you. I know what you did. I still want to hang out with you. Now, let's just enjoy this hot spring." Lars waved off.

"Sounds good to me." Steven smiled again as he enjoyed the warmth.

The End