"Connnnieeeeee." Steven moaned, clinging hard to her when Pearl had announced that it was somebody's nap time. "Nooooooo! Mooore! Moooore!"
"Um…" Connie stood still, unsure of what to do. She had seen other children throw tantrums before, but none of them had ever attached themselves to her person before.
"Steven sweetie, why are you behaving like this?" Pearl asked, tugging at him in an attempt to free Connie. "This isn't like you."
"Noooooo!" Steven cried, kicking Pearl's hands away. "Mooow play."
"Steven." Garnet had appeared from somewhere, her large shadow overtaking them all. Steven froze, wobbly on his tiny feet while he hugged Connie's middle. "I know you want to keep playing, but it is time for a nap and a diaper change."
"Mo Gawnet. No lee Connie." Steven whined, finally releasing Connie in favor of Garnet's arms. Garnet picked him up, patting his back as he continued to cry onto her shoulder.
"Man, his first tantrum and it's over a girl and not a donut." Amethyst chuckled, sliding over to Connie. "I owe Greg some money."
"How come he's crying?" Connie asked, amazed that Steven's moms could understand his congested whining so well.
"He likes you, he wants to keep playing." Amethyst snorted. "He can be a little drama queen sometimes."
Connie agreed with this notion as Steven began to gently beat Garnet's chest with his head buried underneath her neck. He was crying so loudly that Connie didn't even hear her mother come up behind her.
"What happened?" Priyanka asked, leaning down to settle their towel and umbrella down. "Is everything alright?
"Oh, Steven's just a little cranky. It's definitely naptime." Pearl sighed.
"No!" Steven grunted. "Play Connie now. No nap!"
"No, it is naptime now, young man! You played with Connie for almost two whole hours." Pearl explained. "You can't possibly play forever."
"Yes can! Yes Tven can." Steven growled, scowling adorably.
"Dude, you literally blow your fuse if you don't get your two naps." Amethyst groaned, munching on something that looked like an empty juice box.
Connie guessed he was blowing one now. She tugged on her mother's skirt with a determined frown.
"Mom, can't we just come play tomorrow?"
"Hmm…we will be here for a while. I certainly wouldn't mind coming down to the beach." Connie's mom shrugged. "Does that sound alright Steven?"
Steven nodded with a watery hiccup. His nose had started running and Pearl had begun wiping his face with a baby wipe.
"Is it really alright?" Pearl asked before sternly glaring at Steven. "We don't want to impose. Steven needs to learn that crying isn't going to get him what he wants."
"You gave him an ice cream cone yesterday when he started crying." Amethyst noted.
"He hit his head on the boardwalk because you didn't support his legs when he was on your shoulders! And Garnet was the one who gave it to him." Pearl gasped, hands now on her thin hips.
Garnet didn't say anything only letting Steven rest his head on her shoulder as he tiredly snuffled.
"It's fine with me. Connie needs a friend to play with anyway while we're here." Connie's mom shrugged, hoisting their belongings back up. "When do you want to meet?"
"How about-."
"Ten lay-m." Steven yelled. "Ten lay-m."
"It's am, Steven, not lay-m." Pearl explained. "How about eleven?"
"Sounds good with me. We'll bring snacks and drinks." Connie's mom said, releasing their umbrella as Connie tugged it from her grip. "You're helping Mommy? Such a good girl."
Well, Connie was a big girl – it was her job to carry heavy things with Daddy all the time. When her mom kissed her hard on the forehead, Connie couldn't hold back a smile.
"That sounds good." Pearl said.
Connie was about to start marching back when she caught Steven's eye. He was now glaring at them both, eyes heavy with something Connie couldn't name. He frowned before sitting up in Garnet's arms and slamming his forehead into her lips.
Garnet stood still, maybe blinking in shock (cause she hadn't even flinched) before smiling and nuzzling into Steven's neck.
"Steven no head-butting." Pearl scolded before turning with a tired smile back at them. "So tomorrow at eleven. We'll be there."
"If we can get bud to sleep. He's gonna be bouncing off the walls." Amethyst snickered, watching the kissfest going on in Garnet's arms.
Connie waved goodbye while she stumbled back to the car, close to her mother's lean legs. She helped put their stuff in the car and was quiet while her mother strapped her into her car seat.
"Did you have fun today baby?" Connie's mom asked, smoothing down Connie's frizzy hair and dusting sand off her swimsuit.
"Yep. I guess Steven's okay for a boy that is." Connie shrugged, still a little upset about being tackled twice. But she could forgive him since he was so little. "Tomorrow we're gonna play detective. Can I bring my magnifying glass?"
"You promise to be careful alright? Safety first right?"
"Safety first." Connie chanted, kicking her little legs and thinking about all the clues they would probably find tomorrow. They would definitely be able to find Steven's mommy and the mystery lady.
A/N: I'm so sorry for the late update. College has been ripping me a new one! My homework/study schedule is off the chain so I'm really not sure if I'll be able to update Crystal Gem Academy this month (the next chapter is really, really long). But I have the next chapter for Connie's Vacation almost done so update before the month ends. I might try to get like another tumblr account so we can have some better communication or something - I feel bad about not posting and not being able to tell you when I can expect to update (like CN with this hiatus), but I also don't want to post those chapters where there isn't really a chapter just like a giant author's note. If you guys have any suggestions, I'm all ears.