Twoie avoided being alone with Steven for the remainder of the weekend. If he wasn't with Steven and Connie, he was working with Peridot on the drill. Steven knew now that his older brother was aware he overheard his conversation. There was no other explanation for the cold shoulder. After Connie had gone home, he'd noticed that Twoie kept staring at his phone. He wanted to peek at what his older brother kept going back to, but he didn't want to make him angrier than he already was.
Steven sighed for what felt like the gazillionth time that day. At least everyone was taking it easy. The gems were watching the sunset, and Steven relaxed against Lion, strumming his ukulele with his eyes closed. "Steven." He opened them to see Peridot staring at him with an annoyed frown. "Why did we stop working on the drill? Why are they just sitting there looking at nothing?"
Steven tried to smile at Twoie, but his brother looked away. Guess he still didn't want to talk about it. He'll corner him later. "We worked hard, and we deserve to take it easy for a little bit." He strummed the ukulele some more, hoping the music would make Twoie more amiable. "Look at the view! It's beautiful!"
Twoie looked up and relaxed a little. "It is, isn't it." He sat down by Steven and brushed his hand through Lion's fur. The big cat purred in contentment.
Peridot groaned loudly. She stamped her foot against the ground while gesturing at the view. "It's going to be blown to oblivion by the Cluster if we don't get back to work!"
Twoie motioned for her to sit down, and she did so begrudgingly. "Working hard is important, but feeling good is important too. Right, Steven?"
The younger nodded. Peridot gripped her hair tightly. "I don't know what you're talking about!" The drill in her hand buzzed.
Steven perked up at the sound. "Hey, bzzzz, is that a C?" The kid plucked the corresponding note on his ukelele.
Twoie closed his eyes and leaned back against Lion. "Yeah. Sounds like it."
Peridot stared at them in confusion. "The drill?"
Steven jumped to his feet. "Yeah! Now it's music!" That only confused her further.
"You should show her, Steven." His brother piped up from behind him.
Steven strummed a couple of notes. "Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do."
"Do Mi So Do?" She huffed as Steven continued without clarifying.
"Isn't it pretty?" He closed his eyes while he strummed his ukelele.
Peridot rolled her eyes. "That's exceedingly simple. Do Mi So Ti…"
Twoie chuckled as she analyzed the music. "You're making music."
She watched the younger brother dance around her. "What's the point? We're not making anything."
Smiles graced both of the brothers' faces. "If it's not anything, then why does it sound so good?" The youngest challenged her.
"I suppose it's just interest, Do Mi So Do. Devoid of substance or purpose, a hypothetical pattern! Do Mi So Ti." She paused as Twoie interjected, "For the satisfaction of bringing it to completion." She snapped her fingers. "Exactly! Do Mi So Ti. Interests without meaning, solutions without problems…" She looked up at Steven as he held his hand out to her.
He helped her to her feet. "And then you just add words. Here's what I've been working on." Steven cleared his throat. "Life and death and love and birth and peace and war on the planet earth. Is there anything that's worth more than peace and love of the planet earth. Whoaa. Come on and sing it with me!"
Peridot looked uncomfortable as she replied, "Sing?"
Twoie caught her attention by waving his hand. "The words relate to the key."
She pulled a key out of nowhere. "Key?"
Steven snickered as she gazed at it in confusion. "If it's a pattern, if it's a pattern, then just repeat after me!" Steven danced over to Twoie. The young man cracked open an eye at the sound of the music getting louder.
"Life and death and love and birth," Steven waited for her to continue.
"Life and death and-" She fumed and stomped her foot. "Hey! If I have to do it, so do you!" She jabbed her finger into Twoie's side. The pain snapped him awake.
He batted her hand away as he rubbed the spot with his hand. "Fine, fine." Steven had scrunched his mouth in an attempt to hold back his laughs.
"Life and death and love and birth." They sang together.
Steven paused so he could instruct her on the next verse. "Now you sing Mi Fa Mi, Mi Fa Mi Ti La."
Although she still looked salty, Peridot relaxed more at the help. "And peace and war on the planet earth."
Twoie patted them both on the head, though his hand was smacked away by the green gem. "See, that wasn't so bad."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "That's so easy."
Steven popped into her eyesight. "But that's what's so fun about it! You should write something. You should write a song!"
She glowered at him. "About what?"
Steven exchanged a look with Twoie, then shrugged. "Whatever your thinking!"
She hummed in contemplation. "Give me some time, and I guess I can come up with something."
Twoie pushed himself to his feet. "Come on, Steven. Let's give her some time to think. You can help me set up the campfire for dinner." Steven felt a rush of fear and joy at the invitation. As his brother walked over to the barn, Steven followed along while planning out what he wanted to say in his head. "You're thoughts are deafening." He startled at the amusement in Twoie's voice.
Steven looked at him with hope in his eyes. "So, does that mean you know I'm sorry?" Twoie's shoulders slumped with stress.
"I figured. Sorry for avoiding you for so long. I didn't want to talk while I was angry." Steven flinched at the knowledge that it had taken this long for him to calm down.
"I really didn't mean to eavesdrop. I came to get you guys, but then I heard you talking about my nickname and… I couldn't help it. I'm sorry." Steven sighed as Twoie said nothing. His older brother placed several logs of wood and some kindling in the fire pit.
Twoie didn't reply, though, because he was trying to pinpoint how much Steven had overheard. 'Okay, that meant he still heard a good amount of the conversation. Just great…'
Steven picked up some leaves and added them to the pile. "I know you don't want to talk about it, and I'm not going to push. Mostly because I'm just happy you talked about it with someone."
Twoie's eyes widened. Someone not forcing him to talk? That was a first. Steven grabbed his older brother's hand. "I appreciate everything you've done to keep me safe and happy, Twoie. Just please take your own advice. If it hurts you to help me, I want you to bail. Okay?"
That made him look away. There was no way he'd ever promise that. If he was going to be in the past, he was going to try to make things better. Even if he'd barely succeeded at it so far. "Can you grab the food from the fridge? I'm gonna light the kindling."
Steven didn't move. "Promise me, Twoie." He ignored him, focusing on lighting the match for the fire. He heard his younger brother sigh.
Twoie didn't look at him as he said, "I can't, Steven." The kindling caught fire.
"You can! What if something happens to you? What if you get really hurt! What if you-!" Steven choked up. He couldn't bring himself to say it. "I love you, Twoie. You're my big brother, and you need to care about yourself as well. Besides, you still have to get home!"
Twoie scoffed. "First, there's no way I'm going to die. I've lived through everything, and no one dies. I just want to make sure that you don't experience more near-deaths than you already have. Second, you know that's not true. I'm not needed at home anymore." He watched as the embers of the fire grew larger. "It might actually be better this way. I've thought about not returning home in the past, and every time the idea sounds better and better. I was a burden to everyone, even the gems. They probably like the future better without me." Smack! He stared at Steven in shock while rubbing at the stinging spot on his arm. Even though there were tears in the kid's eyes, he was angry.
"There's no way that's true! Of course, they need you. Maybe they don't need you to solve their problems, but you're still family! Once we get the chance to fix the hourglass, you'll be able to go home." Steven wiped his angry tears from his eyes. "Even though I'm going to really miss you, I'll be okay without you. I'm happy that you accidentally came here. I'm so happy that I met you. But you need to go home eventually."
Twoie laughed bitterly. "It doesn't matter anyway because if the adhesive is off-planet, we won't be getting it for a long time." He stood up and headed to the barn, pausing right outside the entrance. "I'll grab the food. Please tell the gems to come back for dinner."
Steven's eyes widened in panic. "But-!" Twoie shook his head.
"I'm not promising anything, Steven. End of story." Twoie bee-lined for the fridge and pulled out a packet of hotdogs. He also grabbed some marshmallows from a cupboard before slamming the door shut. From his spot inside the barn, he could see Steven walking towards the others; shoulders slumped in sadness. He sighed as he brought the items to the fire. Twoie hadn't wanted to upset him, but it couldn't be avoided.
He had already decided he'd protect Steven as best he could. Even if that meant sacrificing himself for him. The sadistic laughter of a tiny blue gem echoed in thoughts. The pain that bloomed in his chest as he watched his friend die because of him. Long, black, piercing nails-! Twoie shook his head to rid himself of the image. It was better for both of them if he decided to stay in this timeline. Because he needed to be needed. And he was needed here.