Title: Business as usual.
Rating: T to T
Standing: Non-cannon AU
Premise: Human AU all the gems (Crystal and Black) work normal jobs while Steven still lives with the crystal gems. Prism and Tiger run a restuarant (Black Diamond Dish) across the street from Garnet and Amethyst's restaurant (Crystal Cuisine), Pearl and Litch work at a Apple store (but due to not being sponsored it will be called a Peach store), Lava and Jasper are mechanics in a personal garage, and the Lapidot is real with Lapis as a artist and Peridot a programmer.
That should be all so let's go.
5:00 A.M. Beach City
A tall caucasian man with silver hair that seemed to have a rainbow effect when light hit it was walking down the street dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and very worn out sneakers. The sun not even visible yet the man held two to-go cups of coffee as he approached a building with unlit neon sign, a chimney smoking at the back, and a pulldown door. As the man set the coffee down to lift the door someone came up behind and goosed him on his butt making him jump.
"Hey Prism!" The person shouted quickly as he turned around to see a dark skinned woman nearly eye level with him, an oddly square afro, and sunglasses dressed in skin tight jean, a white muscle shirt, and brown leather jacket with nice sneakers on her feet.
"Oh! Hey Garnet." Prism said with a hardy chuckle. "I've told you lookin is free touching costs ya." He said with a smile.
"Here." She said giving him a peck on the cheek. "That cover it?" She asked with a coy smile.
"That takes care of about half." Prism smirked taking a step closer before she stopped him with a hand on his chest and held up a pair of black visor like sunglasses. Prism smiled taking them from her. "And that takes care of the rest." He said putting on the shades and pulled the door up revealing the interior of the restaurant to be a bar style with a few tables in an open area and a long counter. "So where is Amethyst?" He asked a Garnet followed him inside.
"Going to wake the monster." A voice with light Latin accent said as a short tan woman with long purple hair walked by both of then dressed in jean short and an oversized top that hung off her shoulder a little, not enough to see anything but enough for style, and a pair of sandals. She walked to the back to the kitchen and bbq pit in the back.
"I'm surprised." Garnet said taking a seat at the bar as Prism turned on the lights and sigh as he walked behind the bar.
"At what?" He asked crouching down grabbing a waist apron and putting it on.
"That you didn't notice."
"What?"
"She stole your coffee." She told him with a snicker. Prism looked around before hitting his forehead of the counter and groaning. "But luckily I brought you one." She said setting a to-go cup on the bar.
"My guardian angel." Prism said grabbing the cup and taking a sip. The continued to talk as Prism got the front ready for business till Garnet stepped out to go and get Crystal Cuisine ready.
BBQ pit
Amethyst walked to the BBQ pit which had stacks of different firewood off to the side and a huge smoker atleast 20ft long and looked to be made out of a large pipe with a barn tin roof held over it by a few tall posts a chimney smoking lightly. The pit smelled of all the firewood that was burning and the seasoning on the meats it was smells she never got tired of. But what she was interested in was the short, but slightly taller than her, very tan man who was currently asleep on a hammock right next to the firebox on the smoker. Dressed in only a pair of old looking gym shorts and shirt covered in ash and dirt.
"Tiger-" Amethyst sang trying to get him to wake up but only got a groan. "I've got coffee-" She sang again taking off the lid and waving it infront of his nose getting him to sniff it and slowly starting to get him out of the hammock.
"Mmm Columbian." Tiger mumbled, his accent as thick as a brick wall, cracking his eyes open to see Amethyst and the coffee.
"I think it's a mocha actually." She said taking a small sip handing over the cup as Tiger sat up.
"Wasn't talking about the coffee." Tiger said giving her a wink making them both chuckle. Tiger got up and walked to the firebox which had a few dying embers in it that Tiger blew on which seemed to bring them all back to life as he threw a log onto the fire.
"I'm from Cuba, not Brazil." Amethyst said leaning against a post hold up the tin roof over the smoker. "So ya got 'em?" Amethyst asked leaning towards Tiger's ear.
"Oh baby I got 'em." He said leading her to the far end of the smoker and lifted the lid over that section letting out a huge puff of smoke revealing three big pork shoulders and two hams all cooked to perfection. "Ain't that beautiful?" Tiger asked no one particular.
"Oh yeah." Amethyst agreed. "So what do I owe you?"
"Oh just one little thing." Tiger said giving her a toothy smile.
"I'm not doing that." Amethyst said very annoyed.
"Que? No not that, Just you, me, a plate of nachos the size of of a truck bed, and a little thing called: Wrestle Kingdom XXXXVII." Tiger said wrapping an arm around Amethyst's waist and grabbed her right hand and kissed the backside of it.
Thinking a bit Amethyst smiled and started nodding. "Okay but don't you dare skimp on the hot stuff." Tiger laughed and nodded before grabbing some aluminum foil and began wrapping up the meat for her.
9:00 A.M. Peach store across town
The Peach store was a store that sold phones, computers, and other various technologies in this store was a man of Japanese/American descent with long gray hair in a straight ponytail, he was currently dressed in a black collared shirt, khakis, and black shirt his name tag read 'Litch'. Litch was currently sighing for a delivery of new tablets that were supposed to new and improved from last month's model but he never saw a difference until a model reached about a year apart and even then it was mostly screen size. As he signed the last of the papers a tall strong looking woman with pink hair and a couple piercing wearing a ripped rock band shirt, black biker pants, a green jacket wrapped around her waist, and boots walked up with another woman holding her hand. The other woman was near rail thin and a head shorter than the pink haired one had almost pale white skin and short white hair in a odd swoop wearing similar attire to Litch but a white collared shirt instead of a black one her name tag reading 'Pearl'.
"Good morning, Pearl, Sabina." Litch said handing the clipboard back to the delivery boy who unloaded the boxes and left. "How are you two?"
"Oh very well thank you." Pearl said getting on her tiptoes and giving Sabina a quick kiss. "Pick me up for lunch?" She asked the taller girl.
"Sure. See ya later Litch." Sabina said giving Pearl a playful pat on the butt, Pearl giving quick 'eep', walking off with a sniker.
"You two seem well." Litch said grabbing a few boxes and carrying them to be stocked.
"Oh yes..." Pearl hesitated before speaking again. "She want me to move in with her." She began to fidget with a pen.
"Oh...uh and you're nervous?" Litch asked stopping to look at her.
"A little..." She said clicking the pen. "I mean I like her, but then there's Steven, and I can't just leave my baby he still has trouble tying shoes, but I don't want to end things with Sabina, I mean since Rose she's really the only one I can open up to, What do I do?" She asked clicking the pen even faster as she rambled.
"First: stop clicking that pen it's going to bust, Second: do the 'see yourself in five years' thing." Litch says taking the pen away from her and setting it down.
"The what?" Pearl asked confused starting to help with the boxes.
"You know when you get interviewed, they say 'Where do you see yourself in five years?' Do that but with your personal life." Litch told her but when he looked at her. She was just giving him a 'that's stupid' look. "Trust me. Close your eyes." He told her making her sigh as she closed her eyes. "Now you're five years in the future what is happening?"
"I still here at this job maybe higher up, Garnet and Amethyst are still running the restaurant while hopelessly flirting with Prism and Tiger, Lava and Jasper are still working on that old muscle car, and you're still sending a single rose to that secretary every valentine's day." Pearl said giving a wicked grin at the last bit.
"Very funny anything else?" Litch asked.
"Yes I see Steven and Connie starting their lives and we're helping them move Connie's stuff into the house which is a bit bigger now." Pearl said a little confused herself at the last part.
"Who's helping?" Litch asked getting curious himself.
"Garnet, Prism, Lava, Jasper...Sabina..she's helping too and she's living at the house with...with me." Pearl said opening her eyes starting to fan her eyes to keep the tears of joy from spilling out. "Ohmystarsohmystarsohmystars!" Pearl started to jabber with a huge smile still fanning her eyes.
"See that's what you need to try." Litch said giving her a light jab in the shoulder. "Ask her to move in with you, that way you can be with her and continue to help raise Steven." He smiled picking up another box to stock. "Now help me out here."
"Right and thank you Litch." She said picking up a box and helping.
11:00 A.M. JL garage
At the garage two rather large people were working on a black 1970 Dodge Charger R/T (for you films buffs that's Dom's car from The Fast and The Furious) one was under the car the other bent over working under the hood which did not have an engine in it yet. The one under the car then spoke.
"Hey Jasper?"
"Yes General?" The tall buff woman replied standing up showing her skin to be a redish tan with an odd white stripe across her face currently smudged with grease. Said woman wore a ball cap backwards and had long white hair going down her back, She had on a white muscle shirt and loose denim pants with a denim jacket wrapped around her waist along with old but well kept army boots.
"You know you don't have to call me that?" The man known as General rolled out from under the car revealing a tall buff man with dark mocha skin and a white mullet mohawk. He wore a similar attire to Jasper but but his shirt was black.
"Sorry Lava." She said grabbing a socket wrench. "What is it?" She asked bending back over and started working again.
"I think we're to easily distracted." Lava said walking over to a toolbox and looked for what he needed.
"Why do you say that?" She asked calling over her shoulder. The dark skinned man didn't answered as he was currently fixated on Jasper's posterior which was raised a bit with her bent over with her on her tiptoes tightening a bolt. "General?" She asked when he hadn't answered.
"Oh uh- I'm not really sure." He answered quickly turning around and squatting down continuing to look for specific tools and hiding a blush.
"Well I think we're very focused." She said standing up and looking at Lava who was still squatting his own posterior a pleasant sight for Jasper. "I mean when it's something I really want I can be very, very, VERY focused." She said her words getting a little hard to understand as she was lightly chewing on her lip.
"I know it just seems like we've taken almost two years to put the engine in this beast." Lava said finding the right tools and standing up making Jasper turn away very quickly pretending to check a few bolts. "And the last job we did took us like a month."
"Well to me that sounds like we got it done pretty fast." Jasper said leaning against the car.
"We had to just rotate tire and change oil." Lava said giving her a look making her scratch the back of her neck a little embarrassed.
"Hey, I just finished everything under the hood and we're ready to put the engine in. whats say we get it in today? right now!" Jasper said getting excited.
"Okay Jasper! Let's do it!" He answered putting down the tools as the two ran over to the engine that was still in the crate it had been delivered in. Once they ripped the crate apart they were treated to the sight of a nice chrome brand new shiny engine. "Now thats pretty." Lava said seeing his face on the side of the blower attached to it.
"Oh yeah." Jasper agreed grabbing a roller cart. "Give me a hand here." She said squatting down and getting a grip Lava joining her before they lifted it their hands touched making them both jump back a bit and shoot off apologies to each other. They then got grips and transferred the entire machine onto the cart pushing it towards the vehicle.
"Alright I'll get the chain." Lava said running and grabbing a very heavy looking chain on the wall that ran up to a pulley as he came back he tossed one end of the chain to Jasper who quickly crouched down starting to wrap the chain around the huge part. As she was down there Lava watched her work but his eyes were quickly drawn to the small bit of cleavage that showed at the top of Jasper's shirt. Lava quickly cleared his throat getting Jasper's attention. "Not to be a perv but could you pull your shirt up a little?" Confused at first Jasper glanced down before blushing and pulling her shirt up a little revealing a very toned stomach and hiding all cleavage.
"Sorry, okay we're all set." Jasper said going to help pull but Lava stopped her.
"You gotta guide it in." He told her.
"You sure?" She asked concerned at the weight he'd have to move.
"Yeah let's do this." Lava said counting in his head before pulling on the chain letting out a roar lifting the engine up high enough to get it in the car.
"Okay here we go." Jasper called pulling the engine closer into place constantly checking to see if Lava was okay. But she was more check him out rather than checking on him. She was able to get the large machine in place but her mind was fixated on Lava. His arms bulging with muscles, his pecs straining against the shirt, and his abs not being shy at all. 'Oh stars, those arms oh I just want him to- No bad girl you should be punished- NO! Just get the engine in place and you'll be okay.'
As the beast was given a soul Lava let out a groan of exhaustion his muscles screaming at him, Jasper quickly tightened a few bolt and Lava jumped in hooking up spark plugs and the belts. Soon the two had the engine fitted in with all the bells and whistles fixed to it with oil poured in and gas in the tank till full the two looked at each other smiling as Jasper grabbed the keys, open the driver's door and put them into the ingnition. Before she turned the key she looked to the tall dark man for confirmation. Lava simply nodded and said. "Start her up momma, daddy wants to here his baby." Smiling Jasper turned the key and quick as she did the monster of a car ROARED to life almost deafening the two.
Jasper was shocked at first before she smiled jumping out of the car, jumping up and down before wrapping her arms around Lava's neck the two spinning each other, laughing. But it all stopped when the looked in the other's eyes. The two didn't jump away or even part infact they grew closer, and closer, and closer till the two were engaged in a steamy kiss both moan in the other's mouth. They soon broke apart panting as Lava guides her back to where the back of her legs hit the hood of the car which made her push him away a bit.
"Wait." Jasper said getting her breath back.
"What? Did I do something wrong?" Lava asked seeming to panic a little.
"Yes and no." Jasper said push him back. "We are doing this but not on or in the car." She clairified suprising the former General.
Thinking for a minute Lava smiled grabbing her waist and pulling her close. "We got that futon in the rec room." He said giving her a quick peck.
"Okay." She said tossing her hat off and grabbing him by the from of his pants and dragging him to the other room slamming the door. But as quick as they went in they ran back out Lava turning off the car and Jasper putting up an 'out to lunch' sign out infront of the garage closing the overhead door and both running back to the rec room where closed blinds help hide their actions.
3:30 P.M. Crystal Cuisine (late tea time)
The Crystal Cuisine was know for three thing: it's late owner Rose Quartz, The wonderful food and service provide by it's staff of usually of two to three, and what some called the best reason to go there the special blend of tea they served. Which is why everyone's favorite power couple, Lapidot, had a almost permanent table reserved at the small but thriving restaurant. The two were...quirky one was a average height woman with slightly tan skin and blue hair who was dressed in jeans that cut off at the knee, a sleeveles white shirt with blue horizontal stripes, and was barefoot. This woman was known as Lapis, she worked as a artist and designer, she was very successful but didn't really care for anything fancy so she settled in Beach City currently living in a big but simple house and it is thanks to that big house how she met her group of friends along with her wonderful girlfriend Peridot. Who was currently typing away on a laptop and ignoring Lapis.
"Peri-" Lapis said with her best seduction voice getting the other woman's attention.
"Y-yes?" Peri a.k.a Peridot asked wondering what the taller woman was planning. Peridot was a bit socially awkward but was getting better thanks do her friends and girlfriend. When they first met Peridot had no filter and could barely hold a conversation without using scientific terms. Peridot was a bespectacled woman with odd blonde hair that came to a point on the top of her head and the sides. Currently she was dressed in jeans, green and black sneakers, a white t-shirt with a odd Physics symbol on it with a green light jack. Peridot also worked as technical support and a coder which helped her meet Lapis when she needed help with her internet.
"I was just wondering..." Lapis continued grabbing the neck of Peridot's shirt pulling her close making the smaller woman nearly crawl over the table.
"Ye-yeah?" Peridot asked blushing as her face got closer and closer to the blue haired woman's face.
"If you'd..." Lapis trailed off.
"Uh-huh?" Peridot replies.
"Atleast try and pretend to be interested in the woman across from you." Lapis said dropping the seductive voice and changing a monotone one giving Peridot a angry look releasing her shirt.
Peridot looked surprised before irritated and plopping back down in her seat. "I'm sorry but I'm late on some very important code." Peridot said quickly going back to the laptop.
"For what?" Lapis asked still annoyed.
Peridot pressed a few more key before giving triumphant smile. "Oh just a little personal project."
"Damn P-dot that is hot." Amethyst said walking by holding the couple's food before setting it down infront of the two. "Can you make one out of me?"
"Make what?" Lapis asked grabbing Peridot's laptop from her before the short blonde could stop her. What she saw made her face turn red in an instant. On the screen was a 3D model of Lapis do a pole dance routine 'dressed' in a seaweed green bikini top and miniskirt with various gold chains draped over her body. Lapis was so shocked she slammed the laptop closed and pushed it off the table, but thanks to a passing Garnet it never touched the floor and put back in Peridot's computer bag. "Peri, what the hell?" Lapis asked still in shock.
Peridot tried to explain to not make her mad. "Uh...I...um...you see...the thing is...I wanted a new screensaver." Peridot got out blushing and fiddling with her glasses frantically.
The two women would enjoy the rest of their meal in silence and awkwardness. Until Lapis decided to try and break the tension. "So...where did you find that model?" She asked making Peridot flinch.
Peridot was shocked but gave a shy smile. "I made it from scratch."
"Wow, Really?" She asked getting a nod from Peridot and was about her next question when suddenly her phone buzzed. Lapis looked down and cursed. "Sorry Peri I got a meeting about a gallery." She said hopping up and giving Peridot a quick kiss before running out of the restaurant. Peridot sighed, their first date in two months and she spent it working on a fake version of her girlfriend. Peridot reached for her wallet to pay for the food when her phone buzzed from a text. Looking at her phone she read 'If I don't have a screensaver of you on my laptop when I get home that model will be all you'll have for atleast a week.' Peridot blushed throwing money on the table yelling for Garnet to keep the change as he made a mad dash for her's and Lapis's house.
10:00 P.M. Steven's house
At a beach of...well Beach City sat a house underneath a amazingly carved statue sat a small house that on the outside may have seemed small but the inside housed five members of a disfunctional family. Right now one one was present at the house his name is Steven Universe.
Steven was a young, pudgy, 14 year who was currently dressed in his off yellow pajamas laying on his stomach kicking his feet watching the door waiting for his caretakers to come home. He was used to waiting up for them by now he really didn't mind he just liked seeing them when they got home. He was suddenly pulled away from his thoughts when his phone went off making him jump a little before seeing it was his bestfriend and jam bud Connie. Steven picked up the phone puttingit to his ear. "Hey Connie, what's up?"
"Oh nothing just doing a little homework and got a little bored." Connie answered. "Are they home yet?"
"Nah but shouldn't be long now." Steven answered rolling onto his back. "Hey you still coming to the bar-b-q next week?"
"Well yeah." Connie replied. "How else am I supposed to see all my favorite people and my one and only jam bud." She said with a chuckle.
"Connie hurry with your homework, you have school tomorrow" A voice came from Connie's side of the phone.
"Okay mom, Sorry Steven looks like I've got to go." Connie sighed. "I'll talk to you later."
"Okay, Connie good night, I love you." Steven said hanging up the phone, Then realized what he had said and began to freak out a little when he heard a voice speak.
"Aw not even dating and he's already saying it." Steven looked over to see Garnet, Amethyst, Prism, and Tiger coming in the door with groceries and a few take out boxes from the restaurants. "You know you should be asleep mister?" Garnet asked him taking her jacket off and hanging it up.
"I know I just wanted to see you guys when you got home." He said putting his phone down and going down the stairs giving easy person a hug.
"That's sweet kiddo." Prism said ruffling Steven's hair. "Here brought you some leftover Salmon." The tall man said handing him one of the take out boxes.
"Thanks." Steven said grabbing a fork from the small kitchen and going over to the counter and started eating as they started putting groceries away.
"Hello? Anyone home?" Litch chuckled walking into the house.
"Hey Litch where's Pearl?" Prism asked putting some cans in the cabinet.
"She's talking with Sabina." Litch said walking over and picking up some bags starting to help put things away. "She's gonna see if she wants to move in."
"Wait Pearl with Sabina or vice versa?" Amethyst asked a little confused.
"For Sabina to move in here." Litch answered. That statement sent them all a titters talking what ifs but all of them super happy. They were all pulled from their talk by a loud roar of an engine outside and shortly after Lava and Jasper came running in both their hair wilder than usual.
"Hey guys what's up?" Lava said grabbing one of the take out boxes that had about a dozen lamb chops in it started digging in. Jasper was leaning against him trying to grab one of the chops but Lava kept playing keep away with her, both of them laughing.
"Pareces estar de buen humor." Tiger said looking at the two.
"They've gotten the car finished and had a special celebration." Garnet said with a smirk.
"Ah weak you didn't come get us for a joy ride?" Amethyst asked aggravated.
"Qué demonios?" Tiger asked also aggravated.
"To be fair the drive over here was the first time we drove it." Lava said holding a chop up for Jasper who snatched it up a took a big bite.
"What were you doing before then?" Steven asked eating his Salmon. His question making the two large people in the room choke a little and cough.
"They were having their own little celebration." Garnet said saving the two from an awkward explanation.
"Who was doing what now?" The voice of Pearl asked walking through the door fixing her hair and straightening her shirt that looked very wrinkled.
"We should be asking you that?" Amethyst asked trying not to snicker.
"Oh well I have good news, Sabina is going to be moving in." Pearl said with a huge smile that looked uneasy wondering how they'd take the news.
"Way to go Pearl." Garnet said giving her a quick hug before turning to group and smiling. "Pay up everyone." She said as everyone except Litch, Amethyst, and Steven handed her various dollar bills from 5s to a 50.
"Wait what's happening?" Steven asked confused at what was happening.
"We had a grupo de apuestas, betting pool, to see if they'd actually move in." Tiger answered sounding angry as Garnet gave Amethyst and Litch their cut.
"I can't believe all of you." Pearl said a little offended.
"Oh lighten up, P." Amethyst said taking the last take-out box revealing a chocolate cake. "Here Tiger helped me bake it." She said cutting her a slice.
"He speaking of Sabina, where is she?" Jasper asked swiping another chop from Lava.
"Oh she said she was going to go pack and come by tomorrow so we can get her settled." Pearl answered taking the cake Amethyst offered her.
"And tomorrow is close so someone has to get to bed." Litch said looking at Steven who just finished his Salmon and was fading quick. "Come on kid up you go." Litch said helping him up the stairs and into bed.
As Steven go into bed with Litch going back down stairs with the rest of the group he saw his phone light blinked indicating he had a message. Picking it up her turning it on showing a text from Connie that simply read: 'I love you too, Steven.' This made him smile as he closed his eyes falling asleep to the conversation down stairs that was more just muffles to him but it always soothed him to sleep. The sounds let him know that even if somethings change tomorrow would be business as usual.
WOW! I meant for this to be maybe 2-3k words and it's just shy of 5k. I may do a sequel to this but that won't be for awhile.If you have a request PM me or comment and I'll see what I can do and I am currently working on the next chapter of Painted black which should be out soon.