Crazy trouble with love part 8
Spinel and Steven
Series: Steven Universe
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We find ourselves in space, more specifically, on the Sun Incinerator that was going through the space with ease, but seemed like it was going slower than usual.
"Ugh, come on, come on baby!" Lars groaned as he tapped a monitor. "Don't die on me now!"
"Captain, the ship isn't close to dying, we're just really low on fuel." Spoke one of the Rutile Twins while the Off Colors crew was busy keeping the ship going while a meter was shown on a monitor with a bar in the red area.
"It seems like we expanded out most of it after escaping from Emerald." Spoke her twin.
"Damn, what is her problem, the wars pretty much over, the armies are disbanding, why is she still after us?" Groaned Lars propping his head with a hand while an older looking Steven stood next to him with a smile.
"Gee, I don't know, it sure is a mystery."
"Oh, it seems like Steven has just given quite a sarcastic remark." Piped up Padparadscha from her station.
"Yeah, thanks Padparadscha , thanks." Groaned Lars. "Is there anywhere near we can stop and refuel, as we are now we won't make it to any of the usual stops."
"According to this, there does seem to be a large structure nearby." Spoke Fluorite pointing to a monitor and bringing it up on the screen before zooming in on the figure of it. "We could stop there."
"Wait, really? There's nothing about it on the maps, is it new?"
"Maybe it's some kind of asteroid that floated out here." Spoke Steven. "I mean we are pretty far out here, so isn't it possible?"
"Maybe… either way lets head down and take a look, if we're lucky they'll have fuel, or at least a warp pad so we can go get some." Spoke Lars as the ship began to make its way there while he looked at Steven. "You know, we really gotta do something about using my hair as your personal transport."
"Sorry Lars, I should have called, but Peridot's communications array was going through an upgrade." Chuckled the older teen. "Look on the bright side, you managed to have a trip with your best bud Steven here."
"Yeah, too bad it had to be right after a dogfight." Said Lars as they got closer. "Hey, is it just me or does it look like there's a… bubble on the surface?"
"Hmm, I see it too." Replied Steven as they got closer.
"Captain, I'm not sure if we'll be able to enter it. We don't spot any openings in it." Spoke one of the twins.
"Try and run a perimeter scan, we gotta be sure and not miss anything." He ordered.
"Yes sir." She said as she hit some buttons. "Hey, I think I found it, there seems to be a maintenance door on the side of the cone, it looks like it might be air tight when it closes too so Steven won't die."
"Don't worry about me, I've gotten the hang of my powers to make a big enough bubble to survive in space." Smiled the teen as the ship moved down near the side of the bubble as part of the large rock and began to land.
"What news! We've managed to find some place to land." Spoke Padparadscha with a smile as the ship made contact with the land.
"Very good, me and Steven will head out and make sure this place is safe."
"What should we do captain?"
"We'll call and let you know when we know everything's all clear. If something goes wrong I'd rather we not get stuck here without a ship, who knows what might be in that bubble." He said as he and Steven made their way to the hatch. "I'll see you all soon."
"Be careful!" Called Rhodonite as the doors closed while she looked worried. "This place gives me the creeps."
Steven and Lars headed to the hatch, a bubble on Steven's head as they looked it over.
"There doesn't seem to be a lock, but… this thing is ancient." Steven said as he looked at the hand pad. "What was this place?"
"I may have been in space, but even I don't know all the answers." Replied Lars reaching into his pocket and pulled out a blue cylinder. "Stand back, I'll get it open."
"What's that?" Steven asked as Lars walked over and put it against the hatch.
"You know what C4 is right?"
"Yeah, but I don't think we need to blow it up yet, can we try opening it with the hand pad?"
"Give it a try, but a place like this probably doesn't have any power to it left. If it does we could use that to give the ship a little more boost if we can't get any fuel, but I wouldn't hold my breath. You can give it a try if you want."
"Ok." Said Steven as he did just that, surprising them both as it faintly glowed and a bubble popped over them as the door opened up, keeping the door in. "Huh… I guess we can go in?"
"Saves me an explosion." Lars shrugged and put the cylinder away as they walked in with the door closing, only for them to look around and saw all manner of dead plants. "Woah."
"I know." Muttered Steven as they walked down a pathway while looking on both sides to see floating stone pillars with dead grass, wilted vines, and even dead lily pads in a pond. "This looks like some kind of garden."
"Yeah.. hey, you go to the other side up ahead and look around and I'll look around here, ok?"
"Ok, just try not to get lost."
"Steven, I don't think there's many places to get lost at around here." He said as Steven began to head forwards, looking around in amazement. Lars himself went the opposite way and walked over several vines in the ground. 'Man, whoever the gardener was did a crappy job.'
As Steven kept moving he just kept taking everything in. 'This place looks like it would have been beautiful a long time ago, what happened?' He pondered while feeling a nostalgia air to it all, but it felt like there was something off about it. Like there was something more to it. As he kept moving, he began to spot something pink up ahead, it seemed like a person but there were vines and plants growing around them, maybe a statue?
He didn't stop and kept on going to the shape, but as he did he looked confused while noting a pang going through his head making him hold it and swore a flash of an image flew through his head and the sudden feeling of guilt. He stopped and looked around and swore he's been here before. He shook off the feeling and kept moving forward and cleared his throat. "Um, hello? Is anyone here?"
He saw the shape stay still and shook his head. "It's just a statue." He walked closer before stopping and his eyes widened when he saw color and saw a pair of eyes looking right back at him, but they weren't blinking and weren't made of stone. "Whoa, hey, are you ok?" He asked as the eyes blinked.
"Who ...are you? Did I win?" The figure spoke in a female voice while Steven noted she had black cartoonish looking eyes that had dark bangs under them, her hair was dirty and styled into a pair of heart-shaped buns that were falling apart.. Her top was once white though time had faded the colar, turning it darker with more rounded pink sleeves, and she wore a pair of big magenta shoes that had vines growing around them, as if rooting her in place and gem on the chest in the shape of a heart.
"I...I'm Steven." He spoke and noted the girl was almost as tall as him. "Are you a gem?"
"Yes, I'm Spinel." She said, her voice hoarse as if it hadn't been used in many, many years. "How did you get here...wheres Pink, am I doing it right? I'm playing the game right, right?" she asked with a pleading tone with Steven feeling a stronger feeling of guilt and sadness hit him seeing her expression and was confused.
"Pink? Are you talking about Pink Diamond?" He asked as she perked up.
"Yes, her! I've been waiting for her to return, she told me to wait here in this spot, its part of the game! I swear I haven't moved, not for six thousand years! So, do I win?" She asked with a smile while Steven's eyes widened.
"Six ...Six thousand years?" he looked around the place. "You mean, right here? All by yourself?"
"Yeah, I gotta say this hasn't been the greatest of games...so, where is she, is she hiding?" She asked as Steven's heart sank.
"No...she's not, I'm sorry…"
"Oh...well do you know when she's coming back?"
Steven had to keep from grabbing his chest hearing her eager, desperate and innocent voice while she looked around without moving her head. "I...I…" He looked away and didn't want to tell her.
"What, what is it? What happened, where is she?" She asked, her voice growing nervous.
"She...she's gone." he revealed looking away with the gem's eyes widening before she smiled and tried giving a chuckle.
"Oh, I get it. She's hiding somewhere in the garden. Like hide n seek."
"No...it's not that." He shook his head and looked her in the eyes. "I mean, she's gone, she's not coming back."
"I...I don't understand…" She said as her eyes began to water.
"I'm...I'm her son, she gave up her body so I could be born long after the rebellion and the war." he revealed.
"War? What war, what are you talking about?!" She asked with worry and disbelief while trying not to move.
"There was a war a long time ago." He spoke rubbing the back of his head while looking away. "My mom...she was part of it. There were a lot of gems that didn't make it, and in a way, it happened to her, but she didn't get shattered or anything like that. She...Well she met my dad and had me." He said as he rubbed the back of his head. "There's a lot more to it, but… it's complicated."
"But...she was going to come back, we were playing a game!" She cried as she grabbed Steven by the pink coat he was wearing. "Did I...Did I not play it right? Is that why she's not coming back? Did I play it all wrong? I-I'll do better! Really!"
Steven bit his lip seeing the look in her eyes and grabbed her hands and sighed. "It's not that. It's not that at all. She just can't come back."
"B...But..what do you mean? I don't get it!"
"She's gone… I'm sorry. I'm not sure if she intended to come back here, once the war began she faked her death, cut all ties with the diamond authority." He revealed before she let go of his jacket and shook her head.
"NO! You're lying! She will come back! She...She will!" She spoke while he saw tears and had to keep himself from breaking down. "You're making it all up!"
"I'm not." He reached to his shirt and raised it to reveal his gem, making her eyes widen and go silent. "This is her gem, it's the closest thing she left me when she passed away."
"No…. no no no no no no no no!' She cried as she held her head and began to glow. "This can't be real, it can't be!"
Steven saw Spinel step back while breaking the roots on her feet and grew concerned. "Spinel, what's-"
"WHY?!" She yelled out while he could hear anger and sadness. The glow shifted around and went away to reveal the gem, now with point pigtails, three black lines under her eyes on the cheeks, a dark magenta top, puffy pointed hot pink sleeves, puffy magenta shorts, hot pink wrist-length gloves, white stockings and a pair of magenta knee-high pointy boots, and her gem was now upside down, as if showing how her heart had been broken, and her eyes now had pink irises and pupils.
"I don't know! I really do-oof!" Steven cried as the gem kicked him away. He skidded on his back with a groan and saw nothing but anger and fury as she scowled at him with tears running down her cheeks. "Please, calm down!"
"NO! She left me, she abandoned me here, and i-it's your fault, it has to be! You came here to gloat!" She cried, trying to find any reason, any one at all for her to take her anger, frustration and despair out on him.
"Wait! I didn't-" He was cut off as he saw her arms stretch out at him before he rolled out of the way and saw her rise up with her legs stretching before she swung her hands clenched into fists before he formed his shield and blocked. "It's not like that!"
"Shut up! She left me, abandoned me here! Why, why would she leave her best friend?! WHY?!" she yelled out before she stretched one leg out at him before he blocked it and got up and started running with her yelling and chased after while stretching her legs to get closer. "COME BACK!"
"Please! We don't need to fight!" He cried as he dodged another kick. "I know my mom betrayed you, but please, just listen to me! I can take you away from here!"
"Lies! All lies!" She screamed while she stretched out her arm to grab one of the columns and hurled it at him, smashing near him. "You think I'm oh so gullible, well I'm not falling for it!"
"I'm not lying! Really!"
"More lies! It's not fair, none of it is! I waited for her, I waited for her to return so we could play again, so why did she leave, why did she leave ME?!" Screamed Spinel who cried harder and tried hitting him with both her hands, which smashed into the ground, something Lars heard and turned his head from where he was.
"What the hell is going on?! Steven!" He ran to the sound and spotted the two, with Steven having to form his bubble up to block two columns Spinel tossed before the gem jumped on it and started to pound at it with her limbs stretching out like a cartoon. "Crap, he's in trouble." He reached into his pocket and grabbed the cylinder. "Hold on buddy, I'm coming!"
"Please, just listen to me, we can talk about this!" Urged Steven with Spinel roaring out. "Fighting won't solve anything!"
"I don't care!" She cried as she charged at him again.
"Steven, duck!" Called Lars as he primed the bomb.
"Lars?" he turned and saw Lars throw the cylinder. "No wait! Spinel watch out!" He cried as he raced towards her and tackled her down as he formed a bubble around them right as the bomb went off. He felt the bubble shake when it exploded with Spinel shoving at his face.
"Get off!" She cried as he put up with it and just focused on keeping them safe.
"No, if I do you'll get hurt!"He spoke while keeping an eye on the explosion that occurred and made sure it passed before getting off her and got a punch to the face with the bubble popping.
"So what, why do you care, you don't know me!"
"I know, but you don't deserve to be here, you shouldn't have been made to wait here for all that time!" He spoke up while Spinel saw tears running down his own cheeks and was momentarily surprised. "Waiting for someone you care about...all that time...and not knowing why, isn't something anyone should go through. YOU didn't deserve to go through that." He closed his eyes while looking down. "I don't know why my mom didn't tell you, or why she didn't bring you, but what I do know is that it was wrong. It was all wrong, and as her son, I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry…"
"I ...stop it, what is this?" She stammered as her eyes began to tear up. "S-Stop bringing her up, please! I-I need something, anything! I don't have Pink anymore, all I have is this broken garden a-and these feelings!" She cried while shaking and looking like a broken doll with Steven looking guilty as she looked at the dead plants and covered her eyes and started bawling into her hands. "Why ...Why Pink ...we were best friends ...why would….you leave me?"
"I don't know...I really don't." He said as he began to slowly approach her. "I don't think anyone knows… but it's over, you can stop waiting for her." He said as he lighty wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug.
Spinel blinked and burst out crying more while gripping him tightly and sobbing into his shoulder as Lars walked over cautiously, but confused.
"Steven… who is this, what's going on?"
"It's not a happy story, but could you give us a minute?"
"Uh..sure." He replied as Steven rubbed her back and walked away. 'I'm lost here, but it looks like he's got it under control.'
Steven stayed there as Spinel gripped him tightly and sobbed, as if he would disappear if she let go. He kept rubbing her back while frowning, feeling a twinge of anger at his own mom, but pushed it down since right now Spinel needed comfort. "It's gonna be alright Spinel, I promise."
"H-How do you know that, how is anything going to be ok?"
"Well, I live on Earth, it's where the war took place, and right now, it has other gems." He smiled. "They managed to get through and are making their own town not far from my own home town. Not to mention my pals the Crystal Gems are the best around. They've been with me since I was a baby, and I'll bet they'd love to have you come by and meet them face to face."
"I….I don't know ...is she really gone?" She sniffed as she stared at his diamond.
"Yes...she is. I'm sorry." He said as she held him tighter. "We can take that warp pad back to earth, ok?"
"...ok." She muttered with a sniffle. "Earth…what is that?"
"It's a beautiful planet that has all kinds of people on it." He smiled while standing up with her following. "Lars, me and Spinel are gonna try and use the warp pad and head on Earth, will you and the others be ok?"
"Well considering I haven't found any real fuel, I'm gonna have to use any leftover power this place has." He said as he looked around. "Either that or just send one of the gems to go grab some fuel on earth from little homeworld."
"Hey that's a great idea. It shouldn't take too long, and Bismuth might be able to drop on by and do some repairs if the ship needs it."
"Great, see you later Steven." Lars said as he waved the young fusion away as he escorted Spinel to the warp pad. He watched them warp away and let out a sigh. "This is gonna take longer than I was hoping for. Damn it, I forgot to ask him to say hi to Sadie for me too."
(At the temple)
Steven and Spinel reappeared on the warp pad, the pink gem looking around in confusion.
"Are we on Earth?"
"Yes, but specifically we're in the temple, this is where I live." He gestured around and got off the pad with her sticking close and keeping her arms wrapped around him. "We're really close to the ocean, which is how the town got the name Beach City."
"Beach ...city. Wait, what's a beach?"
"It's a sandy shore near the water where you can sit and relax, play in the water, and even have picnics on, it's really fun." He said with a smile. "Come on, I can show you if you want."
"What's a picnic?" She asked as she followed him out the temple and down the steps before she saw the ocean and noted it was sunny out. "Is that it?"
"If you mean the beach, then yup." He said as she looked out in amazement.
"It's so big… does it ever end?" She asked as she looked out in wonder.
"Well kinda, but it depends on which part of the planet you're on. It takes up a lot of it." He smiled while looking down at the arms. "Uh, you don't need to hold on so tight, I'm not going anywhere."
"I don't know that." She muttered softly. "You might go off and disappear, leaving me all alone…"
Steven frowned before looking at her hands and got an idea. "Not if you're tied to me."
She looked up at him before he pointed to her arms.
"If you can stretch out your arm, you could tie it around my arm, that way you won't have to worry about me getting away and you'd still be able to walk without sticking so close. I wouldn't want you to trip over anything on the ground if you stick too close." He suggested with a grin. "So, what do you say? It'll be like a literal lifeline to me, if you want to know where I am just give a quick yank and pull me too you."
She looked unsure and looked between him and her arms. "I ...well...maybe, but what if it comes loose?"
"Then I'll grab it and give it a tug, that way you know if something's wrong."
"Do you promise?" She muttered looking up at him in the eyes.
"I promise." He said as he held out his hand for her to shake.
"Ok… I'll hold you too it." She spoke while confused and looked at his hand.
"You grab it with your own hand and shake it up and down." He clarified seeing her expression. "It's a way of making a deal or keeping a promise, it means that you can trust me."
She perked up and shook his head with a hand before letting go and wrapped one arm around his arm tightly.
"See? Now if anything goes wrong, you'll know it." He smiled giving it a light tug and walked ahead of her with it stretching. "Come on, I'll show you around."
"Ok!" She said as she raced after him, walking right next to him so her arm was barely stretched out. She looked around and saw beings that wore clothes like steven and waved at him with him waving back while he looked at the buildings of the town. "This place feels so much smaller than Homeworld. Everythings less...gloomy."
"Yeah, that is kind of the point, cool huh? Over there is the big donut, over here's Smiley's arcade, that's Onion." He trailed on as she looked around in wonder. "If you have any questions, just go ahead and ask."
"Ok, um… how is this possible, did gems build all this? And how did homeworld leave it alone?"
"Nope, all this was made by humans. I'm actually half human thanks to my dad." He revealed with her eyes widening.
"But, you just said Pink Diamond made you!"
"Yeah, which is true, but I'm only half gem. But this wasn't left alone. After the war, the Diamonds figured the Crystal Gems had been defeated and left the Earth alone, giving humans a chance at living and growing for years." He said as he rubbed the back of his head. "It's a long story. Say, do you want some food?"
"Food?" She tilted her head.
"Yeah, come on, you put it in your mouth and eat, its great!" He smiled while leading her over to the big donut."
"Ok… but why is it great?" She asked once more.
"Well...the best way to describe it is by experiencing it yourself, and I know just the thing you can to get what I mean." He said as they entered the shop. "Two donuts my good man!"
"Hey there Steven." Greeted the former mayor who was cleaning the counter and saw Spinel. "Woah, let me guess, new gem friend?"
"Yup, and I'm here to show her the wonder that is donuts."
"Ok, two sprinkled ones then, or did you have something else in mind?" He asked as he held a pair of tongs. "We do have a few freshly made jelly filled ones, just got them out of the oven two minutes ago."
"Ooh, two sprinkled ones and two of the jelly please." He smiled as he sat at a table with Spinel sitting next to him. "You're in for a treat."
"Ok… so how does this work?" She asked in confusion.
"Ok, so when you hold the donut, you just bite into it, and then chew the stuff before swallowing." He explained while moving his mouth as a demonstration. "It's really easy, and when you find out how good donuts taste, you're gonna want to taste all kinds of other stuff."
"Ok… if you say so." She said as she slightly tightened her grip on his arm as the mayor approached them with the food.
"Here ya go Steven, enjoy."
"Thanks!" He said as Spinel hesitantly picked up one of the jelly filled pastries. He bit into one with Spinel watching him and opened her mouth before taking a bite out of her own and tried to mimic chewing it. Her eyes widened as she tased the jelly and donut, unsure what to think. "Mmm, what do you think?"
"I...I don't know, it's so weird!" She cried, lightly spraying donut everywhere.
"Uh, Spinel? You have to swallow it." Spoke Steven while swallowing his piece and used a napkin on the jelly. "You know, get it down your throat."
"...why?"
"So it goes down your belly."
"Ok, but then what happens?" She asked before she swallowed the piece and felt it go down her throat and land in her body.
"Well, then you get to eat more."
"Ok, then what, what happens to the food in my body?"
"Uh… you'll have to talk to Amethyst about that one." He replied awkwardly as she bit into her donut again. "What do you think?"
"It's… interesting, I've never done anything like this before." She admitted while eating more, not bothering to wipe the jelly off her mouth. "It feels sticky and tastes...tastes...what's the word?"
"Sweet?"
"Yeah, that's it, sweet! I think I like it!" She smiled before munching on the rest of it and had to swallow the pieces quick when it felt like her throat nearly got stuffed up and let out a burp, confusing her with Steven chuckling. "What was that?"
"It was a burp, it happens when you eat too fast."
"Wow, it actually...kinda felt good. I think I can taste that donut again." She said as she licked her lips.
"Yeah.. hey, you got a bit of donut all over you, do you want a napkin?"
"What's a napkin?"
"It's a piece of paper you use to wipe stuff off of yourself, I'll go grab you some, I'll be right back." He said as he got up, making her eyes widen.
"NOOO!" She screamed before tugging on her arm making him stop.
"Woah woah, it's ok, they're just right there." He pointed to the napkin dispenser, not five feet from them.
"O-Oh ...sorry." She said as she looked down in shame. "I just thought… that you were leaving me."
"No way, I made a promise, and Steven Universe sticks with his promise. Besides, you can see me moving to it." He felt her arm slacken and walked over, grabbed some napkins, then walked over to sit back down. "See? Even if I tried leaving, you could see me."
"I-I know...I'm sorry...can we go somewhere private for a bit?"
"Sure thing." He nodded as they got up with him putting money on the counter before they headed out of the store. "We can head back to the temple or we could go to the lighthouse?"
"Just...somewhere dark and quiet, I ...I think this may have been too much too fast." She admitted looking down shyly with Steven patting her arm.
"Alright, we can do that." He said as they began to head to the temple. "Let's get you to bed so you can rest up, I bet you're tired from standing for so long, huh?"
"Well ...maybe a little." She admitted as she rubbed the back of her head. "I mean, if it's not too much trouble, if you want the bed then I can just lie on the ground, really!"
"No way, you're my guest." He shook his head. "You can have my bed, I'll take the couch."
"W-What? No, you don't have to do that, I don't want to be a burden, really, you don't have to worry about me." She said quickly, fear rising inside her. 'Oh no, I'm pushing him too far, asking too much, he might get sick of me l-like her!'
"You're not being a burden." He spoke opening the door and leading her back inside the temple. "It's customary on Earth to be nice to guests, and I wanna make sure you feel comfy and welcome here."
"I know, but you don't have too, really." She said as she held up her hand. "I can sleep on the ground, I don't even know what a bed is!"
"Well that's all the more reason you can take it." He lead her up the steps to his bed and sat on it. "Go ahead and take a seat and feel how soft it is."
"Really, this isn't necessary, I'm fine!"
"Come on, just lay down on it, please?" He requested with Spinel looking between him and the bed.
"But...are you sure?"
"One hundred percent, trust me." He said as she sighed and hesitantly sat down. She felt around the bed while squeezing some spots. "How does it feel?"
"It...it's really soft, what is this?"
"This is what a bed feels like." He said as she slowly lighed down and let out a sigh of happiness as her limbs stretched out all over the bed like she was unwinding. He chuckled. "I take it you like it?"
"Oh yeah, I've never been on something this soft before." She sighed as he smiled.
"See? That's why you can take it and I'll take the couch. It's just as comfy, so I'll be just fine." He said as he got up to leave, making her eyes widen.
"Wait, you're leaving?!"
"No, I'll just be downstairs." He replied before finding her arm quickly stretching out and wrapping around his own. "Oh right, almost let that slip." He said with a chuckle. "If you need me just give a yank, ok?"
"...ok." She said as she nervously watched him walk away. 'Please...please don't go.'
'I wonder where the others are, I wanna introduce them to Spinel so she can feel more comfy while staying here.' He thought before the warp pad lit up and he saw Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl show up making him smile. "Wow, you guys must be reading my mind." He joked. "I was just wondering where you were."
"We were in little homeworld, Lapis wanted some help with some humans who were causing trouble, but I thought you were in space with Lars." Pearl said before noticing the pink arm attached to his. "Steven, why is there an arm on your...arm?"
"Oh, this is Spinel's, she's upstairs in bed right now." He said, making her gasp.
"Did you ...just say, Spinel?"
"Yeah, do you know her?" He asked as Spinel perked up upstairs.
'He's talking to someone… their voice sounds familiar.' She thought while stretching her head towards the ledge so she could listen in.
"I did, well, I watched her and Pink Diamond play from the warp pad once or twice, I always wondered what happened to her."
"Yeah… mom left her stranded on a rock in space." He admitted, being blunt and getting to the truth with Garnet and Amethyst confused with Pearl shocked.
"Oh my god… I never knew." She said as she covered her mouth. "She was just waiting… was she in the garden?"
Steven nodded while Amethyst coughed.
"Ok, totally lost here, who's Spinel?"
"She was Pink Diamond's playmate, she was made to keep her occupied, I always assumed that she went back to homeworld." Revealed Pearl with a sad expression. "Spinel would keep Pink occupied when she felt lonely and would play with her constantly for hours on end, she was Spinel's best friend."
"But then why didn't mom take her with her to earth? Why leave her there?"
"Well, Spinel was...she was immature, she was like a child and Pink for the longest time wanted to be taken seriously… maybe Pink Diamond was worried that she wouldn't be taken seriously if she was seen with Spinel?" guessed Pearl with Spinel going wide eyed and feeling that hit her in the chest.
'Immature? I'm not immature, I'm fun!' She thought with a frown. 'I was made to have fun, that's why Pink kept coming to the garden...wait, did… did I not make her happy, was I not good enough?' She wondered while clenching her hands without realizing it. 'Was she just pretending to have fun the whole time?'
"Wait, so mom just left her there?! Just because she wanted to impress the diamonds?!"
"Yes, but it's complicated Steven, before Pink got earth she...she viewed gems like the other diamonds, like beings below her, it was only when she got to earth did she start to value life, in her mind at the time what she was doing wasn't wrong, and when she did realize it there was nothing she could do." Pearl said as she shook her head. "Spinel was too unique, even if she did bring her to earth to fight what could she do? Spinel was made to play not fight, and she would be recognized instantly."
"But...Spinel could have just stayed to the side and not did anything. She could have even been on the whole plan you and her made to pretend like Rose shattered herself."
"I know, but it was too late, by then the war was in full swing and I couldn't remember a gem I only saw a few times, at the time I thought she was on homeworld, and Rose…. I don't know Steven, nothing I say will change the past." spoke Pearl looking down with Garnet and Amethyst silent and unable to say anything, but Spinel grit her teeth and started feeling anger, but at Pearl.
'That's why I was left behind, because I was immature, well what about her? What good can a bland PEARL do in a war!? Bow and just nod her head!?' She thought as she began to see red. 'I was her best friend, I could have learned how to fight! If a Pearl can do it then so could I!'
"So she's snoozing away?" Guessed Amethyst.
"Maybe, she was lying in my bed when you guys came back, I can go and see if she's awake."
Spinel moved her ear back to her head and closed her eyes while curling up as Steven came up the stairs and saw her.
"Spinel? Are you awake?" Steven whispered as he approached the bed.
"Zzzzz." She fake snored as he looked at her and sighed.
"Wow, you must have been really tired." He said as he turned to leave. "Shhh, she's asleep."
"Alright. Hey, Steven, wanna go get some grub?" Amethyst asked with a grin as she licked her lips.
"Well me and Spinel kinda grabbed some donuts already." He said as the purple gem groaned.
"Oh come on, I'm starving, lets go get some pizza!"
"I'm not sure, I kinda think I better stay here for a-"
"Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!" Chanted Amethyst with Garnet shaking her head with a smile.
"She's not gonna stop until you agree."
"I dunno, the pizza place is kind of far, I don't know how far Spinel's arm goes."
"Can't ya take it off?" asked Amethyst.
"Well maybe, but I promised her I wouldn't go too far away from her. I don't want her to get hurt." He whispered so he didn't 'wake up' the gem.
"Well I didn't promise jack, so let's go!" She urged picking Steven up and carried him to the door.
"Woah! Amethyst wait!"
"No time, pizza!" She cried as the arm stretched out behind them before going taunt.
"Bu-woah!" He let out as the arm yanked him away from Amethyst and landed on the floor on his butt. "Ow."
"Hey, what the dip?!" She cried out in annoyance.
"Hey, what's going on?" called Spinel 'waking up'. "Where are you Steven, why are you trying to leave?!" She cried as she pulled her arm back, dragging him towards her.
"Sorry Spinel, didn't mean to wake you." He said as he landed in her arms as she wrapped around him like a snake.
"Were you about to leave for somewhere?" She asked with a frown, already knowing the answer.
"Technically yes, but not on purpose, I swear, Amethyst grabbed me and started to carry me off to get pizza."
"I see." She turned and saw the other gems looking at her, with Pearl herself looking nervous making Spinel narrow her eyes. "Hello there Pearl, it's been oh so long."
"Hello Spinel, you look ...different."
"Yes, well after learning that I'd been abandoned by my best friend I decided to get a new look." She replied bitterly. "So, she left me for you...and them."
Pearl looked away at the awkward air while Spinel stretched her head down to look at Amethyst with one eye closed.
"Hmm, you're an Amethyst?"
"Duh, can't ya tell?"
"Just checking, last Amethysts I saw were taller." She said before spotting Garnet. "A fusion, well, I guess she decided she wanted something new, huh?"
"It's not like that." Spoke Garnet as Spinel pulled her head back to normal length. "Rose was willing to help us when she found us, scared and cast out."
"Well I would just LOVE to hear more about you wanting to take Steven off for some peeze."
"It's pizza." Deadpanned Amethyst. "'Sides, you can come with, if you've had donuts then you're gonna love this stuff too."
"Great, lets go Steven." She said as he sighed.
"Sure, but first can I have my legs back?"
"Oh, of course." She untied his legs, but wrapped her legs around his waist like a belt and used her arms to wrap around his biceps and held on like a backpack making him blush as he stood. "There, we can go."
"Um, this really isn't necessary, don't you want to walk?"
"Nope, not at all." She smiled. "This feels nice and cozy."
"O-Ok, if you say so." He said as he began to head towards the door as Amethyst frowned.
'Talk about clingy.' She thought as she followed them. 'She's worse than Pearl was to Rose.'
(Later)
"So this is pizza?" Asked Spinel, now sitting in a booth next to Steven as she held the cheese triangle.
"Yup, it's got cheese, pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, and lots of tomato sauce."
"Uh huh, uh huh, those are definitely words…" She said with a nod, not understanding what any of that was.
"It tastes better if you actually eat it."Joked Garnet while Amethyst was already scarfing down two slices at once with Pearl not touching any.
"Oh, like the donuts? Do you eat everything here, where does it go, Steven didn't tell me." She asked as she hesitantly took a bite.
"You'll learn later." Amethyst said with a chuckle as Spinel's eyes shot open as she spat out the pizza.
"UGH! Gross gross gross!" She gagged and rubbed her tongue. "This stuff tastes horrible!"
"What? Really? What tastes bad about it, is it the olives, mushrooms?"
"The yellow stuff! It's so...bleck!" She cried as she wiped her tongue. "How can you eat this?!"
"Well, I like it." Steven said with a shrug, making her freeze.
"Oh...you do? Well...um… I can keep eating then." She spoke quickly while biting into her slice with a grimace, making Steven look concern.
"If you don't like it you don't have to eat it." He said as she shook her head.
"Don't worry, it's ok, don't worry about it, if you like me eating it I'll eat it!"
Steven saw her eat more and shudder before he put a hand on her arm. "Spinel, if you don't like it, I don't wanna see you force it down. I'd rather you enjoy stuff that you yourself like."
She paused before looking at him nervously. "I-It's fine, really, I don't want to be a burden, if I don't like this stuff then we can't come here together, a-and you'll find someone else too and then, a-and then I-" She stammered in a panic as she began to hyperventilate before Steven pulled her into a hug.
"Woah woah, easy there Spinel." He spoke rubbing her back while the gems were concerned. "If you don't like pizza, there's other stuff to try out. I could get you a soda to try for instance."
"So...da? What is it?"
"It's kind of like water, but way more sweeter."
"Water? You mean like the ocean?"
"Kinda, but I mean water you can drink. Hey Kiki! We're gonna need a soda!" Steven called out to the girl.
"Sure thing, what kind?"
"The kind with plenty of sugar."
"You got it, give me a second." She said as Spinel looked down in shame.
"I'm sorry, I messed up, again."
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Steven asked in confusion. "Messed up how?"
"Making you go the extra mile and being ungrateful for what you gave me." She looked away with a sad expression.
"Huh? What are you- no, no that's not being a hassle, you tried something new and didn't like it, it's completely normal, and all I did was ask for soda, it isn't going the extra mile." He spoke up with a smile. "You won't know what you like unless you try it. You gave pizza a shot, didn't like it, which is fine."
"But you love it, I hate something you love, that's not ok! I made you get me something else, I'm being a bother, a waste, a-a-a-a-"
"No, you're not!" He spoke firmly making her flinch. "Spinel, you are NO bother to me, alright? Liking something that others don't isn't a bad thing, it's something that makes someone unique."
"B-But what if I-"
"It doesn't matter, trust me, if you don't like the exact same things I like doesn't make you a bother, ok? Being you isn't bad, ok?" He spoke firmly with Spinel surprised right as Kiki walked over with the soda.
"Here ya go Steven, enjoy." She said as she looked over Spinel. "Is everything ok with your girlfriend? I thought you were with Connie?"
Steven turned red with Pearl doing the same, Amethyst snorting, and Garnet shaking her head. "S-S-Spinel here is actually a new friend I made, she's new here."
"What's a girlfriend? Is that some new level of friendship above best friend?" she wondered with Amethyst snorting more.
"Let's just say it's far different." Spoke Garnet while Steven grabbed the soda and held it to the gem.
"Here Spinel, give this a try and see if you like it."
"Um, ok?" She said as she reluctantly took the soda. 'Girlfriend… what is that?' She thought before taking a sip. She tasted something liquid hit her tongue before her eyes widened and found herself sipping from the straw harder and gulped the drink down without taking her mouth off it. 'So GOOOOOOOOOOOD!'
"I guess we found something you like, huh?" Steven asked with a smile.
Spinel kept gulping the soda down and nearly came to sucking up the straw before the cup was empty and she took it out of her mouth and looked at it. "This tastes amazing! It's so...so ..."
"Sweet?" Guessed Garnet.
"Yes! I love it, another!" She said as she began to vibrate in place.
"I'll get right on it." Smiled Kiki walking away while Pearl saw Spinel's eye twitch.
"Uh, Spinel? Are you alright?"
"Yes, in fact I feel great! Really really reallyreallyreallyereallygreat!" She shouted as she began to speak faster and faster.
"Uh-oh, this is her first taste of caffeine." Amethyst groaned. "I was the same when I first tried it, she's gonna be like this for awhile."
"Sugar rush, now that I saw coming." Spoke Garnet.
"Here's your soda, and just for you guys here's a pitcher." Said Kiki before Spinel grabbed them and began to chug the drink. "Wow, guess we got a new favorite here." She joked while Pearl stood up.
"I think we better stand back." She said as the pink gem began to vibrate more and more with every second.
"She's gonna blow!" Amethyst yelled as Spinel finished the pitcher and cup before she began to literally bounce around like a super charged spring.
"Ifeelontopofthewholewideworld!" She cried out while letting go of Steven who ducked under the table when she bounced on it and ricocheted all over the pizzeria making the others take cover.
"What is going on?!" Cried Kiki as she ducked into the kitchen.
"First time sugar rush!" Called Garnet while Spinel cheered while looking like a blur at how fast she was going. "We gotta try and hold her in place!"
"Well get her out of here, she's gonna destroy the place!"
"I got this!" Amethyst ran over and grabbed Steven by the jacket and dragged him from the table and to the door. "Yo Spinel! Follow us!"
"WhyIwantmoresodacanIgetmoresoda? HeyStevencomeoverhereandtrysomeofthis!" She called as she shot her arms out at him.
"Woah!" He cried as Amethyst dragged him out with the hands grabbing his ankles, causing Spinel to get pulled out as she bounced, causing Pearl and Garnet to run out and try pinning her to the boardwalk.
"Stand down Spinel, you're out of control!" Garnet said as she kept shaking and laughing.
"You need to calm down and not take anymore sugar!" Spoke Pearl while Spinel bounced under their weight.
"IlikesugarsugarisgoodStevenneedstotrysome!"
"Steven, get over here and calm her down! Do something!"
"I'm on it!" He got up and ran over. "Spinel listen, I get why you're excited, but you need to try and calm down."
"WhyIfeelgreat!"
"Because you're not in control, please calm down!"
"Or just crash already!" Called Amethyst. "It always worked for me!"
"Whatdoyoumeancra-" Spinel asked before her limbs felt heavy and she suddenly felt exhausted. She groaned and face planted on the boardwalk while going still. "Ugh…."
"And there it is, she really crashed fast." He said as Spinel just groaned. "At least we know what she likes."
"Everything feels horrible ...whyyyyyy?" She groaned as Garnet picked her up.
"Let's get you back to the temple."
"No ...want Steven to carry." She mumbled as her eyes began to close.
"Don't worry, Steven's here." She smiled before setting Spinel in Steven's arms. "There ya go."
"Yaaaaay." She weakly cheered as she snuggled closer to him. "You let go of my hand…"
"Sorry, guess it flew away." he joked.
"Don't ...don't leave me again...please." She said softly before passing out.
Steven looked at her with concern with Amethyst walking over and chuckling.
"Guess you better keep her from finding my secret junk stash."
"Yeah… I guess so." He said as they began to head to the temple. 'I just hope Spinel gets better, I don't want her to feel scared about being abandoned.'
(Later)
Spinel groaned as her eyes began to open, feeling warm and on something soft. 'Ugh, what happened...am I on the bed? Wait, Steven!' She moved to sit up and looked around to see she was back in the temple. 'Where is he?! D-Did he leave me?! Did I push him too far with the soda thing?!'
"Zzzzz."
'What was that?' She thought looking around. 'It sounds so close.'
"Zzzzz."
'There it is again!' She thought before feeling the thing she was on moving a little and looked down and saw it was Steven who was sleeping. 'Steven! You didn't leave me!' She thought happily as she hugged him. 'Oh what a relief! I was so scared!'
"Zzzzz."
'Why is he making that sound though, is this the sleep he was talking about?' She wondered while putting her head on his chest and heard a beating sound. 'What is that, is there something inside him?!'
"Zzzzzz."
'Is he hurt, is he in trouble?! Oh no, what do I do, what do I do?!' She panicked and sat up. 'Should I try and wake him up?' She thought as she began to lightly shake him. "Steven, Steven, get up!"
"Mmm...what?" He grumbled as he slowly opened his eyes. "What's wrong?"
"There's something moving around inside your chest!"
"Huh? What do you mean?" He asked yawning and looked at his chest.
"There's something trying to get out, beating on your insides! You can feel it!" She said as she grabbed his hand and put it on his chest. "See, see?!"
"All I feel is my heart beating."
"...heart?" She said as she tilted her head.
"Oh, right, gems don't have organs, huh?"
"Organs?"
"Yeah, they're...well it's complicated, just know that it's completely normal, ok?"
"Oh...ok. So, what do you wanna do now?"
"Well I was sleeping, you could try that." He suggested.
"...Why? What does that do?"
"Well it helps you feel recharged after a day, and it helps you unwind after everything you did."
"I...Is that necessary? We usually don't do that...am I supposed to do that?" She asked in confusion. "Do Gems sleep?"
"Well, Garnet told me you guys don't need sleep, but I'll bet if you tried it out, you might like it." He said as she nodded.
"If you say so… so how do I do it?"
"Just close your eyes, let yourself unwind, and don't move." He said as she did as instructed. "Just close your eyes and don't think about anything, ok?"
"Ok." She spoke while trying to stay perfectly still and clear her mind. 'This doesn't sound so hard.'
"Great, now just say like that for as long as possible."
"Ok, I can do that." She said as she began to empty her mind before she suddenly found herself in the garden as the image projected itself from her gem. Her eyes widened and looked around with confusion. "Wait, what's going on? Why am I here? I-I was on Earth."
"Stay here in the garden, we're gonna play a game." Called a voice behind her, making her pale.
"No...it can't be." She turned around and gaped when she saw Pink Diamond standing there. "P-Pink Diamond!"
"Stay in the Garden Spinel, I'll be right back." She said as she began to walk past her. "Stand very still, ok?"
"No, no!" She spoke up stretching out and grabbed the diamond's hand. "You can't go! Not again!"
"Let go of me Spinel, I'm done playing with you." She said coldly as she pulled her hand out of her grasp.
Spinel felt that hit her deep, but held on as Pink tried to walk away. "Please don't go Pink! I can be better! I'll come with, just don't leave me alone!"
"Sorry Spinel, but you're not good anymore." She said as her form began to shrink before Steven stood in her place. "And soon I'll be bored too, so just stay here, where you belong."
"Steven?" She gasped before he pushed her away and walked away. "No Steven, don't go!"
"Stay in the garden, stay in the garden." Steven's voice chanted, sounding like both him and Pink Diamond. "Stay here forever!"
Spinel saw the garden around her quickly aging away to weeds and found herself tied down by roots and saw Steven walking away. "NO! DON'T LEAVE! I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE AGAIN!" She cried before she suddenly felt herself being shaken before she opened her eyes, waking up with Steven looking at her.
"Spinel, wake up, wake up!" He spoke with worry and found himself wrapped up in her arms as she clung to him.
"Steven! You're still here!"
"Yes, I am, I'm so sorry! I didn't know you'd have a nightmare!" He said as he held her back. "I saw it and-"
"Never leave! Please ...never leave…" She muttered shaking and started crying into his shoulder.
"I won't, I promise! I swear, I will never leave you, I won't take you back to that place, I promise!" He spoke while rubbing her back and tried to help calm her down as best as he could.
"I-I-It was so real though!" She cried as he patted her back.
"It'll be alright, it was just a bad dream."
"W-Why did you want me to see that? Why?" She whimpered. "Is that why you wanted me to sleep?"
"No, no I swear. I thought you'd be able to rest up after today." He replied quickly. "I am so sorry Spinel!"
"I was so scared...so terrified...I don't wanna see that again."
"You won't, I promise!" He said as she held him tighter.
"I don't wanna try sleeping."
"You don't have to, I promise." He whispered while she gripped him tighter.
"Ok ...ok...please…." She mumbled as she held onto him, as if he could disappear forever if she let him go.
'Oh man, I made things worse.' He thought as he racked his brain, trying to find a way to fix this. 'What do I do now, I made her have a nightmare!'
'I'll never sleep again, I'll just keep my eyes open all night.' thought said as she shook her head. "I don't need to sleep, I kept my eyes open for six thousand year, I can do it again!"
"But don't you get tired?"
"Nope, nuh-uh, never!" She said quickly. "Gems don't sleep!"
"Well...ok, but if you need anything, wake me up." He said as he began to lie down.
"Ok." She said as she kept holding onto him and laid down next to him. "Goodnight Steven."
"Good night...you know, if you want to stay awake you can go do something else." He said with a yawn.
She looked surprised at that and heard him start snoring and let that sink in her head.
'Leave...is he telling me to leave? No, I can't!' She shook her head. 'I'll stay awake and stay right here, I'll make sure he doesn't leave.' She thought as she pulled him closer. 'I'll never be alone, never again, I'll make sure of it!'
She kept her eyes on Steven as the night passed without blinking and when sunrise came Steven started to mumble with his eyes slowly opening.
"Ugh...what a weird dream." He groaned as Spinel perked up.
"Steven, you're awake!"
"Woah!" He jumped from the sudden voice and rubbed his eyes. "Oh, Spinel, you surprised me."
"Sorry, but I'm so excited, I was worried you were never going to wake up!"
"Well of course I was, I just needed sleep." He sat up and yawned with her moving off his body. "What did you do all night?"
"Waited for you to wake up." She said happily.
"So...you watched me?"
"Yep, you're a much better view than the warp pad on the….you know." She trailed off as she looked down.
Steven nodded and patted her shoulder before getting out of bed and stretched with Spinel getting up and wrapped her arm around his before he headed to the kitchen to grab breakfast. "So, what do you wanna eat?" He asked as they walked down before spotting Amethyst eating everything in sight.
"Nom nom no-oh hey Steven, Spinel." She waved before she went back to munching on a burrito that looked like it was stuffed with all sorts of random stuff.
"Hey Amethyst, did you eat everything in the house again?"
"Course not, I haven't gotten to the marshmallows yet."
"Ok, so donuts for breakfast, lets go Spinel." He sighed as he headed towards the door.
"Yay! Donuts!" She cheered while wrapping her limbs around his and ending up like his 'backpack' again.
"Man, you really don't like walking, huh?" He chuckled as they headed outside.
"This way is more fun and comfy." She chuckled as she snuggled deeper into his back. "Now forward, to donuts!"
"Onward!" He declared running down the stairs and to the mart while Amethyst finished her burrito with a burp and rubbed her chin.
"Hmm, if Spinel wants to stay close to Steven ...then I think I know just the thing she should watch." She grinned. "Oh this is gonna be good!"
(Later)
"Ah, nothing beats a freshly made donut in the morning." Sighed Steven as Spinel nodded happily.
"Yeah, I love this place!" She beamed while bouncing a little. "I wish I could eat a spaceship full of them."
"Yeah, that would be awesome."
"Hey, Steven!" Called a familiar voice as he turned around to see Connie biking towards them.
"Hey Connie!" He waved with Spinel confused.
"Huh? Who's Connie?" She asked as Steven turned towards her.
"Oh right, you didn't meet her. Spinel, this is Connie. Connie, this here is Spinel."
"Hi Spinel, are you a friend of Steven's? I don't think I've seen you with the other healed gems." Smiled Connie walking over with the gem nodding.
"Yes, I'm Steven's best friend, I make sure not to let him out of my sight."
"Wait, what? I'm sorry, but I think I hold that title." Spoke Connie, caught off guard with Spinel narrowing her eyes.
"I doubt that."
"Well it's true, we've known each other for years." Relied Connie with a hand on her hip and Steven noticing Spinel's eye twitching while her hold on his limbs tightened.
"Well he saved me from the garden, so we're closer!" She snapped with Steven getting a bad feeling.
'This isn't gonna end well.'
"Well we've fought together, we've even fused!" Spoke Connie, finding her competitive side popping out with Spinel letting out a growl.
"I find that a big fat lie! Only gems can fuse with gems." She said as she shook her head. "Even then only gems of the same kind can fuse!"
"Well it's true, me and Steven have fused! Have you two done that?"
"Uh Connie? Maybe we should all stay calm." Spoke Steven feeling the limbs tighten more.
"N-No, but neither have you two! I refuse to believe it!"
"Well we can prove it, right Steven?"
"W-Well, technically yes, bu-" he said before Connie took his other hand.
"Then lets do it, lets show her!"
"Uh Connie, now might not be a good time." He whispered.
"What, are you taking her side?"
"What? No, I-"
"S-Steven? Are you...abandoning me?" Spoke Spinel with horror making him shake his head.
"No! No I'm not, look Connie, it's great to see you, but maybe you and me can talk? In private? Spinel, do you mind getting off? I just need to talk to Connie for a bit, but it won't take long." he promised as Spinel looked at him nervously. "I promise I'll be right back, ok?"
She looked between him and Connie while glaring at the girl and nodded. "Fine, but I'm not removing my arm."
"That's fine, I just have to go talk to Connie quick." He replied as she removed her limbs, save for one, and walked over to Connie and lead her away as the arm stretched. "Connie, what was that? You sounded like you had to prove a point and didn't let me get a word in to explain."
"I-I'm sorry, I just...I felt like she was getting on my nerves, and I just ...I don't know, felt like I had to prove myself?" she blushed and looked away embarrassed. "I didn't mean to sound like my mom there. Sorry."
"Well Spinel's kinda...sensitive." He replied before he started telling Connie the story with Spinel tapping her foot and glaring at the back of Connie's head and not listening in on them.
'Who does she think she is, barging in like that and telling me that she's his best friend? She wants him, she wants to take him from me!' She clenched her other hand and started to enlarge it behind her back. 'Well no way is that gonna happen! She thinks fusing with him is so cool? Well I bet she can't fight as well as a real gem.' She thought as she readied to hit her. 'One hit and she'll be down for the count, then it will just be me and Steven!'
Connie covered her mouth as she and Steven turned back to the gem, only for her to jump to the side when Spinel brought her fist out with it hitting the sand with a big boom. "Spinel wait!"
"You think I'm gonna let you come here, say Steven's your best friend, and then rub fusion in my face? Then let's see how sturdy you are if you think you're all that!" She roared stretching her legs to propel her forward and brought her fist back and swung it out again with Connie rolling out of the way.
"Spinel, wait! Please, just calm down!" Called Steven tugging on the other arm wrapped around his arm. "Connie doesn't want to fight!"
"She started this fight the second she mocked me and tried to steal you from me, I will not be abandoned again!" She yelled before seeing Connie come running at her. "I'm going to swat you like a bug!"
"Not on my watch!" She called and ducked when Spinel threw another punch while grabbing the arm and spun around it before jumping off it and tackled Spinel down to the sand while wrapping her arms around the gem's body. "Stop fighting please, I understand now, I'm sorry!"
"Don't lie to me! You don't understand anything!" She yelled raising her free hand up in a fist.
"Spinel, no!" Steven cried as he raced towards her and grabbed her arm. "There's no need to fight!"
"But she...she...she stared it!"
"Yes, but then she tried to end it, so it's over! Just hear her out, please." He pleaded while gripping her arm as she looked at him. "As your best friend, I'm asking you to talk to her, not fight."
'I'm your best friend.' Connie thought as Spinel sighed and lowered her fist.
"Fine...for you."
Steven sighed in relief as Spinel turned to Connie.
"Talk, now."
"Hi, I'm Connie, I've known Steven for awhile and I ...well I got jealous when you said he was your best friend." She admitted with Spinel narrowing her eyes. "You see, we met a few years back, and...well we started being friends when we were kids and hung out a lot. Been on a lot of adventures, did stuff together, but I didn't mean to come across as rude like that." She said as she looked down. "He was also my first real friend so… I didn't want to lose him."
"Well I've known him for 6000 years." She retorted with Steven giving her a look, making her look away and correct herself. "Well...not exactly known him exactly, but I did know who his….his…"
"Mom."
"Mom, was."
"Ah...ok, well… let's start Over, my Names Connie Maheswaran, what's yours?" She asked as she held out her hand.
"Spinel." She replied moving her other hand out and gave her a brief shake and moved her hand back.
"So...Connie, want a donut?" Steven asked with a smile.
"Sure, I could go for one." She said as they all sat back down, Spinel making sure to hold onto Steven again. "So Spinel, are you holding onto Steven because…."
"I want to make sure he doesn't leave me." She said as she bit into a new donut. "This way wherever he goes, I go."
"Uh-huh… and what if he wants to go somewhere on his own?"
"Then I'll hold on of course, just give him some room."
"Ok ...so you just stay with him forever now, is that your plan?"
"Of course, is that a problem?" She frowned.
"Well, you can't keep it up forever, right?" She remarked with the gem narrowing her eyes. "I mean, you do know Steven's only half a gem, right?"
"Half...Gem?"
"As in he's half human."
"...huh?"
"He's half human, he grows older...kinda? And he might not be around forever." She revealed solemnly with Spinel shocked and turned to Steven.
"W-What?! Is this true?!"
"Well… maybe? I have gotten older, but I age kinda slowly, as for dying...I dunno? We're still figuring that one out." He admitted scratching his cheek. "I mean, I'm still here, and I'm gonna be around for a while if that's what you're worried about."
"F-For at least six thousand years, right?!"
"Um ...I don't know?" He admitted with her pupils shrinking.
"No ...no no no no no!" She cried as she stood up and began to run away.
"Spinel wait!" He called as she headed for the temple.
'I knew it was too good to be true, he's gonna leave me! Either intentional or not he'll be gone one day, just like her!' She thought as she entered the house, intent on getting to the warp pad before running into Amethyst.
"Yo Spinel, glad you're back, I wanted to talk to you about something."
"Not no-whoa!' She cried as Amethyst grabbed her hand and began to drag her towards her room. "Let me go! I don't want to stay here!"
"Come on, you're gonna love this, I know Steven will." She chuckled as the star door opened up to her trash dump of a room. She started dragging Spinel inside with said gem now perked up.
"Steven… will love this? Show me!"
"Easy there, you gotta wait first." Chuckled Amethyst.
"I waited six thousand years, I'm tired of waiting!" She growled while Amethyst lead her over to a large pile of random junk. "I want to know, NOW!"
"Ok, ok, I gotta get it first, it'll be just a second, I promise." Spoke Amethyst while looking around the junk. "Not here, not here, not h-ah here! Here it is."
"What, what is it?!" She asked desperately.
"This!" She said as she held out an old magazine.
"...Paper?"
"No, it's a magazine." Amethyst opened it and flipped through it. "Something that'll help you out."
"Help me? Help me how?"
"It'll help you get closer to Steven." She replied, making Spinel's eyes widen in excitement. "You wanna be his friend right? Well I got something that's closer than a friend."
"Really? What is it, tell me, TELL ME!" She yelled stretching her face in front of Amethyst who leaned back and grinned.
"It's called a 'girlfriend'."
"Girl...friend? Aren't I already?" She asked in confusion as she scratched her head.
"To a point, but if you wanna be a real girlfriend, you gotta read this magazine and learn what it means to be one."
"Ok, but what is a girlfriend, how are they special?" She asked as she took the magazine.
"Well, they're one of the most important people in their boyfriend's life a-"
"SOLD!" She declared with a grin and started reading through the magazine. "Holding hands...I'm already doing that, right?"
"Well it's a bit different when you're a girlfriend. It means you two really care, and you're technically holding his arm, not his hand."
"Ok, so I'll just hold his hand from now on, what else?" She muttered as she kept flipping through the pages. "Nicknames? What's that?"
"It's names that only you two call each other, you do it to show how close you are."
"So I call him something different? Like what?"
"Well, you can try and make it sound like their normal name, but tweaked. Like...oh! You could try calling him Stevy, or Stevie Pie. Get what I mean?"
"No, but I'll try it." She said as she kept reading. "What is kissing?"
Amethyst gave a snicker. "Oh, it's the biggest thing a girlfriend can do."
"Really?! What is it, tell me, tell me!"
"It's where you put your lips against his, and kiss."
"So… lip to lip contact?"
"Yep, in fact I bet if you go out there and give him a big smooch he'll be all yours." Amethyst said as she tried to hide a snicker.
Spinel looked at the magazine and saw several pictures of couples kissing and looked between them to try and keep it in her head. 'Ok,so you pucker your lips, press them against someone elses and...that's it? Ok, I got this, if I do this I'll be his girlfriend and he'll never leave me!'
'This is gonna be good to see. Steven really needs a good nudge in the right direction or he'll be single the rest of his life. Besides, I'll bet Spinel could learn a whole lot if they're more than friends.' Amethyst thought with a chuckle. 'Plus it'll be funny to see his face when they kiss!'
"Ok...I got it, I know what to do! I'm coming Steven!" She yelled before she ran off back to the door.
"Whoa, wait for me!" Called the short gem as she chased after her. 'I don't wanna miss this.'
"Spinel, where are you?!" Called Steven from the front of the temple with concern. "Are you in here?"
"Steven!" Spinel called, making him smile as he saw her bust out the front door. "I need to do something!"
"Ok, what is it?" He asked as she coiled her legs into springs and shot down towards him. He wound up tackled on his back with a groan and felt her grab his cheeks. "H-Huh? What are y-"
"Pucker up boyfriend!" She cried before crashing her lips against him.
Steven's eyes widened and let out a surprised sound while Spinel herself felt the teen's lips were rather soft.
'Soft...I think I like this kissing thing, am I doing it right? How long am I supposed to stay like this?' She wondered while Steven grabbed at her shoulders. 'I better keep it together a bit longer just to be safe.'
'I-Is she kissing me?! Why?! And why did she call me her boyfriend?!' He wondered, his mind all over the place. 'Why is this happening?!'
Spinel held the kiss up for a few minutes before pulling back while Steven panted for air. "H-How was that, did I do good boyfriend?"
"Uh…." he let out, baffled and gobsmacked with a bright face.
"I-Is that a yes? Should I try again?" She asked nervously.
"Spinel? Why...did you kiss me?"
"Because we're boyfriend and girlfriend, or at least that's what it says in the magazine, now we're even closer!" She smiled with Steven more confused.
"What magazine?"
"She said it would make us closer, even more so than best friends, now you'll never ever ever leave me!" She beamed hugging him.
"Who said that?"
"Amethyst!" She said happily as Steven groaned.
'Ok, now that I should have figured out.' He thought with a groan. 'Ok, so she has wrong info, I need to tell her the truth.'
"Now I'll never have to worry about us being separated, ever again." Sighed Spinel with a smile with Steven feeling conflicted.
"Uh...Spinel?"
"What is it Boyfriend Steven?"
"Um ...actually...the truth is…" He saw her looking at him with intent without losing her smile and gulped before finishing. "The truth is...you can just call me Steven, adding boyfriend to the front might be a mouthful."
"You got it!" She said as she hugged him tightly, unaware of her gem starting to glow.
'Oh man, I couldn't say it.' He thought with a sigh. 'I don't want her to feel sad, or worse. Maybe I'll give this a shot, that way she'll have more time to adjust. Who knows, she might wanna explore Earth on her own. I mean sticking with one person too long can get a bit stale.' He thought as her gem began to turn around, going back to the heart shape it was originally. 'I'll just wait until she finds out what a boyfriend really is, then she'll probably forget about it and move on, right?'
(Next morning)
Steven was starting to slowly wake up in his bed due to the smell of food being cooked and the sound of Pearl humming to herself. "Oh sweet, breakfast!" He said as he got up only to feel something pull him back into bed.
"Morning Steven~" Sang a happy voice. "Sleep well?"
"Huh? Oh, hey Spinel, I slept good, how was your night?" He asked the gem who held him close by wrapping her legs around his waist.
"It was fun, while you were sleeping you mumbled something and made a funny sound with your nose."
"You mean snoring?"
"Yeah, that!"
"Ok...well, let's go down stairs, it's time for breakfast."
"Wait, not yet." She smiled grabbing Steven by the cheeks. "You can't get out of bed without one of these."
"One of wha-" He started before she planted her lips against his. 'Wait, does she still think I'm her boyfriend?'
Spinel hummed and pulled back with a smile and giggle. "A good morning kiss~" She sang while poking his nose. "Boop."
"O-Ok." He said with a large blush as he got up. He headed down the steps with Spinel clinging while Amethyst and Garnet came out of their rooms and saw the two with Amethyst trying not to laugh.
"How you doing Steven, enjoying the new love life?" She snickered as Garnet looked at her and Steven in mild confusion.
"Kinda, sorta." He admitted awkwardly with Garnet adjusting her glasses.
"You know, I saw this coming, but a little bit different." She remarked with only Amethyst hearing.
"Really, how did you see this going?" Asked the small gem curiously.
"In one of the paths, you were part of it." She remarked with Amethyst's eyes widening. "In another, it involved Pearl."
"What?!"
"In one it even involved me, and in another he turned her down and she tried to destroy the world."
Amethyst looked at the two and gulped. "That seems a bit out there, don't it?"
"Considering her wounds, not really." Garnet said, making her pale. "She has severe abandonment and trust issues, she needs this."
"So...I didn't mess up?"
"No, but I wouldn't play matchmaker too much." She said as the purple gem nodded. "For now, let's just watch them and see where this goes."