Ch.16: Love
"Onyx, can you stop looking at him? It's getting to be a bit annoying." said Pearl, looking over at the couch where Onyx was sitting, who was staring directly at Lion, who was looking back.
It was five days since the interrogation, and nothing much had happened with the Crystal Gems. Onyx was teaching Steven, who both were being watched all the time, mostly by Garnet, much to the black gem's dismay. They also went out around Beach City, eating and exploring, also accompany with a female gem, mostly Pearl or Amethyst. Slowly but surely, he was getting known by the locals as another member of the Crystal Gems, and not being pointed out and shouted "DEMON!" while running away from them that was a huge plus. Yesterday Lion returned from who-knows-where and went in and sat in the sort of living room area. Onyx just sat down and glared at the feline, who did the same. That was yesterday morning, and they have not moved since, not even breaking eye contact.
"I don't know why, but I think fuzzball here still has that thunderstone on him." muttered Onyx, getting a growl from Lion. "I just know he does, and he's taunting me because of that."
Pearl and Steven, the latter eating his cereal, gave him a confused look, as Amethyst snorted. "Come on, Oni. It's not like he has pockets or anything? What do you think his mane has a portal to another dimension or something?" responded the purple one.
Onyx's eye widen at that realization. It seemed far fetched but not that ridiculous. He was about to reach forward when Lion growled louder and he moved back. "Fine fine...I won't touch you."
The Crystal door began to glow and Garnet stepped out, looking around seeing Steven and the other female gems at the kitchen area while Lion and Onyx was in the living room area. Shaking her head at the latter, she walked over to the others. "So Steven, what do you have for today."
"Oh Connie called and asked to come hangout and I said sure, if that's alright?" asked the boy, smiling as he finished up his meal.
"Of course." nodded Garnet with small smile, which cause the child to smile bigger.
"Connie?" came the voice of the other male gem, who finally broke his staring contest with the beast in front of him to look at the others. "Who or What is a Connie?"
"Ooooooooooh she's Steven's special lady friend." said Amethyst, jokingly which caused Steven to blush, and a glare from both Pearl and Garnet.
"Amethyst!"
"What? I'm just kidding around, Pearl!"
"She just a friend...who is awesome." muttered Steven, blushing a bit more.
Onyx smiled, he knew that look from a lot of places before, heck even himself once. "Well then, you better change just in case she gets there." he said, looking at the boy who still was in his pjs.
"Yeah you're right!" shouted Steven, as he rushed over to his dress, grabbed his usual clothes and ran into the bathroom.
"Note, we got to teach the kid how to materialize clothing." said Onyx, as all four of the older gems watched the boy what he just did. After Steven, Lion yawned and jumped over Onyx, knocking over his hat, and went to Stevens bed, circling around before falling asleep on it. "And get rid of that thing." muttered Onyx, turning now to creature before grabbing his hat and placing it back on his head. "You know lobsters make great pets. They are practically immortal until you eat them."
Before anyone could respond, there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it." said the male gem, getting up and stretching as he walked to the door, opening it and seeing nothing in front of him. It was then he looked down slightly to see a small Indian girl, wearing glasses, a long teal blue skirt that ended above her ankles, and a light gray blouse.
"Oh! Hello there, um...is Steven here?" asked the girl a bit nervous seeing this new stranger in the house.
"Depends who's asking?" replied Onyx, with his arms crossed and a smirk. "You got a name?"
"Connie." replied the girl, fixing her glass frames, which now Onyx looked more closely couldn't tell if they actually had lenses in them or not.
"Oh...hold on a second." said Onyx, turning his head and shouting "HEY STEVEN! ARE YOU DONE IN THE BATHROOM YET? YOUR LOVER IS HERE!"
Silence fell in the wooden house. All the females present had facial expressions that were speechless, which included Connie, who's face was as red as a Steven's T-shirt.
"ONYX!" shouted all three female gems, harshest one was Garnet, followed by Pearl and Amethyst, who sort of found it a bit amusing he did that.
"What? I'm just kidding. I know she's just a friend." said Onyx, with a shark grin, as he turned back to the girl, who was still red. "Come on, he probably be out shortly." and moved aside to let her in, which she did quickly, and sat on the couch. "I'm Onyx by the way."
"Oh! So you're Onyx." said Connie, a bit embarrassed still.
"Yep. That's me, the one and only!" he said with a smile, walking back towards the couch. "Now that I think about it, Steven does talk about you...a lot."
"Really?" asked Connie, blushing again.
"Yeah, I think he really likes ya." grinned the black gem.
Soon after, Steven came out of the bathroom, fully clothed and red as well, due to the fact he did hear the black gem's shout. "Um, hi Connie." he said, walking towards her, a bit embarrassed. "I guess you met Onyx."
"Hi Steven, and yes." she replied, not looking at him, and getting redder.
Onyx looked at the two and scratch the back of his head. Looks like you did a big one, Onyx, he thought to himself, feeling the tension in the room, and the glares from three female gems, especially Garnet. Just picturing the anger look she had a few days ago, still makes him shiver. He was just kidding around, slightly, but he realized now he went too far. "Hey sorry about that lover thing back there..."
"It's cool Onyx." muttered Steven
"Yeah, I'm fine too." replied Connie weakly.
Both children looked at each other for a moment before turning away, even become more red. Onyx looked at them before looking at his comrades again to see their leader mouthing the words, "You better fix this now or-" well the rest of that sentence was not for children.
"So kids? What you up too, today?"
"Just video games and TV mostly." said Steven, getting slowly back to himself.
"Just that?"
"Well there is this good satire medical show we like to watch." said Connie, who was getting her composer back as well, but still did not want to turn to look at Steven.
"I see...well I was going to offer you guys an adventure that would be awesome." shrugged Onyx, putting his hands in his hoodie and turning around, his back facing everyone. "But if you don't want too, and set to sit here all day and not in the beautiful sun, then who am I-"
"Wait! What kind of an adventure?" asked Steven, smiling and eyes bright with stars.
"Yes Onyx, what kind of adventure?" asked Pearl, a bit concerned.
"Eh nothing that dangerous I promise you and it is in the area around here. Saw it when i went exploring on my own, something that I think that would be great to see for these two." He then bent down to them and smiled. "So, whose up for excitement, with Uncle Onyx, hm?"
"I AM!" shouted Steven happily, until he remembered. "That is if you want to do it too Connie?"
"Yeah, an adventure always sounds exciting!" smiled Connie, both now forgetting the awkward moment they had a few minutes ago.
"Excellent." said the black gem, standing up again. He looked at Garnet. "I suppose you want to come too? After all I'm still under watch."
"Of course." said the leader, smirking.
"Yeah yeah." said the black gem, who then clapped his hands and looked down at the kids. "So who's ready to leave in five minutes?"
Amethyst snicked and whispered to Pearl. "Looks like its going to be a double date uh?" causing her taller creamy ally to shake her head.
susususususususususususususu
The trip took them up the forest area of the city and was a bit of a hike. However, it was still fun as the four walked and talked, and Steven found out that Connie knew some Hindi, thanks to her parents and grandparents really, and she and Onyx began to talk in that language a bit, due to him knowing a bit of different languages due to his travels, as well as both knowing interesting facts. It was like the incident in the morning almost never happened. After a bit, they decided to rest.
"How much longer?" asked Steven, his feet slightly hurting.
"Eh another half hour or so." replied the black gem, looking around. "Should be closer honestly."
"If we want to go north, we should look for moss."
"Yes well that depends on where's north in our location. Still good thinking Connie." replied Onyx, before turning to the tallest one. "You've been quiet."
"I usually am."
"Yes but not this much. It's creeping me out."
"Good you should be afraid of me."
"Oh is that so?" said Onyx, walking up and getting to her face.
"Indeed." said Garnet, smirking getting up into his face.
As they did this, the kids watched them.
"Are they like this all the time?" asked Connie, a bit curious.
"Yeah...they still crazy for each other." said Steven, sighing. He and Connie, looked at each other for a second before turning away, blushing. They were sort of still having problems looking at each other since Onyx's outburst.
Onyx saw them in the corner of his eye, and nudge his head slightly to Garnet, who nodded.
"Hey kid!" shouted the black gem. "How about you and I go slightly ahead and scout to see whats up in front of us?"
"Sure, the three of us?"
"Actually kid, just you and me?" replied the older gem, before turning to Connie. "If that's ok? We will only be gone for three or four minutes."
"Um, sure I don't mind." replied the girl.
"Great! Come on Steven." said Onyx and the two walked ahead, as Steven left his cheeseburger backpack with the two females, who looked at each other.
"They going to be back quickly, right?" asked Connie, looking up at Garnet, who just smiled and nodded to her, which caused the girl to smile back.
sususususususususu
When they were several feet away, Onyx sighed. "Hey kid, sorry about what you heard in the bathroom. You know calling Connie your lover. You know I was messing around right?"
"Yeah, it's cool Onyx. Don't worry." smiled Steven, as he put his hands over his eyes, making a made-shift binoculars.
"Ah good...but you know I think she really likes you too." he said with a smile.
Steven lowered his hands and looked at the black gem. "Really?" Onyx who was still smiling gave him a small nod. "Hey um Onyx...can I ask you a question, since your also a guy?"
"Sure, well not true, technically we are genderless, long story about that, but sure you can still ask me."
"How did you know when you really like someone?"
Onyx was silence for a moment. Now there was a few things gems didn't know about humans and human culture, or to figure out, unlike Rosie did. However, emotions and feelings they knew about, and if one thing a gem knows it is that feeling of love. However, how you describe it to a kid of your favorite gem, and not to mess it up, knowing another certain gem will get angry if you do. He sighed before speaking again.
"Well it, it depends on how you feel around them. Everyone has a feeling for someone, if its hatred, you feel like you can just punch them in the gut and make you feel better, if it fear, you tend to be afraid, if it happiness, you feel good inside. But if you really like a person...like truly like them...its the most wonderful feeling in the universe." said Onyx, muttering the last part. "How does Connie make you feel? All happy and warm?"
"Yeah." said Steven, blushing a bit, looking at his feet, one of which was now circling around.
"Would you protect her and do anything for her?"
Steven thought about it, all his adventure of him and Connie. Out of all his friends and the people in the city, he cared Connie a lot as much as he cared about the Gems, his dad, and Lion, and thus he began to smile. He knew with or without powers, Connie would like him for who he was and hang out with him no matter what. He then look up and Onyx, and replied "Yes I would."
"Well then, sounds like you really do care for her."
"Is that how you and Garnet feel about each other?"
"Kid, we are here to talk about your problems, not mine. Besides, that is a whole different level you are asking."
"Aw what?" pouted Steven, before sighing. "Fine, but should I tell her how I feel?"
"Eh not yet, don't want to scare her off." laughed Onyx. "Besides, for this kind of feeling you can't rush it, you can't force it, you need to let it take its course to build, but trust me on this, soon you and Connie there will be really close at this pace in no time."
"Really?"
"Yeah, probably in your early teens no doubt." replied the older one, looking back. "We should get back to them."
"Alright." said the boy, as he gave the gem a big hug. "Thanks Onyx."
Onyx was caught off guard a bit and look down at the boy before he smiled and patted Steven's hair. "Ya welcome kid."
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"Took you long enough." said Garnet, as the two came back.
"Hey we were doing male things."
"You're not a male, Onyx."
"And you're not a female, but here we are, appearing to be."
Both were now looking at each other, as if who ever spoke next was going to get hurt.
"Um, can we go now, I promise my parents I be home before sun down." said Connie, a bit nervous.
"Yes. Right. Onward!" said Onyx, looking in the direction they needed to go, after he gave a small glare to Garnet.
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Ten minutes went by and Onyx was a bit ahead of them, with Connie beside him, followed by Garnet and Steven, who were chatting a bit a few yards apart. Well Steven was chatting about all the things he saw as Garnet nodded and smiled.
"So...you really like Steven, uh?" asked the black gem, nonchalant, at a volume only he and Connie could hear.
"W-what?" replied the girl.
"Oh come on, I see the signs. Don't worry I won't tell. That's for him to figure it out and ask you himself." chuckled Onyx. "Trust me, I'm not sometimes rude Amethyst or uptight like Pearl are sometimes, bless that I care for them, and definitely not like Garnet, so your secret is safe with me, if you do or not."
Connie looked down. "I like Steven. He's my best friend...my only friend..."
"Really? Only?"
"It's a long story." muttered Connie.
"Eh, won't badger you on it if you don't want to. But I know he likes you?"
"Really?" said Connie, blushing a bit and smiling.
"Oh yeah...but do not threat, he will figure it out how to on his own. And besides, you guys should do it at your own pace. Also, from the stories I've heard, you bring out the good in him."
Connie smiled wide and looked back at the boy behind her. "Thanks Onyx."
"Eh no problem." he said as he stopped. "We are here!"
All four stopped at a huge hill, with a giant boulder in front of them. Steven and Connie were confused, while Garnet just smiled. She knew this place.
"Um, it's just a rock." said Steven.
"Yes it is, but that's not why we are here." replied the black gem, before turning to the taller female gem. "You want to move this or should I?"
"I'll do it." said Garnet, her gauntlets appearing as she walked to the boulder and picked it up, with ease. She then moved it a few yards from the spot before dropping it and having her gauntlets vanish. What now stand was a cavern.
"This is why we are here." said Onyx, giving a shark-like smile as all of them entered. As they entered more into it, the kids gasp at what they saw. Crystals, all in different colors, shined down from above, the sides, and some of the ground. Soon the sound of running water could be heard and a few minutes later, they saw a small waterfall and more crystals, with more colors in them and shining even brighter.
"This is awesome!" said Steven, full in awe. "Can we look around?"
"Yeah sure, go nuts." said Onyx, as he watched both children run around the big cavern, looking at it all.
"Hm, it's been a while since we been here." said Garnet, looking around
"Yeah I know, we use to come here together when we didn't want the others to find us." said Onyx, crossing his arms. looking at her. "They don't know about this place do they?"
"Like we promise only us."
"Ah good." he said, looking at the kids, who were close to each other, looking at a certain crystal shape. "Aw, look at them young love."
"What did you tell them?"
"Eh nothing gets past you now doesn't it? Nothing much that take their time and no rush, you know? Let them be friends for a while."
"Good advice. Better than Pearl's and Amethyst's."
"Figured as much."
The two gave out a small chuckle before glancing at each other. "We had good times here."
"We did."
"Wonder if we will ever have the same times again?"
"Depends on how you are till we get the other items you have. I still haven't forgiven you for what you did."
"Eh fair enough." said the black gem with a shrug. "Still we had some good fun."
"Indeed, like the time we switch genders."
"That was a few interesting years. You were good as a man."
"Thanks you were not bad as a woman yourself."
The two gave a light chuckle as they found a place to sit and smile at the others two small beings with them.
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It was around the very late afternoon by the time they got back and Connie had to go. Onyx and Garnet said their goodbyes and walked inside, leaving Steven and Connie to be alone.
"Thanks for a great day as always, Steven." said Connie, with a smile.
"Anytime Connie!" replied Steven, smiling back.
Both then gave each other a good bye hug, but somehow this time it seemed different, due to the fact it lasted a little bit longer. As they slowly let go and moved away both stared into each others eyes. No sound was made, except for a gust of wind blowing. Steven didn't realized how pretty her eyes truly were. Although he thought he heard someone mutter "kiss kiss kiss kiss" before hearing a smack and an ouch. He blinked and scratched the back of his head. "So, talk to you later?"
Connie smiled, with a blush on her face. "Definitely." she said, and ran off home, not wanting to be late and in trouble, waving back at the boy, who did the same to her. When he couldn't see her no more, he went inside and saw all four gems, with Onyx rubbing the back of his head and muttering something, glaring at Garnet.
"So how did it go?" asked Pearl, who was gave a quick side glare at the black gem before focusing onto the boy.
"It was very good."
"Really? Where did you go?" asked Amethyst, who was lying on the couch, looking upside down.
"Um, I promise not to tell." said Steven, looking down before glancing the two taller gems, who both smirked and gave a quick nod.
"Oh come on!" shouted Amethyst, raising her arms before rolling off the couch and standing again. "They took you to their secret place did they? Where they use to-"
"Amethyst." said Garnet, as a warning. She then turned to Steven. "How about we all go get something to eat?"
"Um, no thank you. I think I'll stay here." said Pearl, not wanting to eat or see people eat.
"Eh, I'm good, and I'll keep her company." replied Onyx, pointing to Pearl.
"Fair enough, and you two?"
"Always in the mood!" shouted the purple one.
"Can we get tacos?" asked the boy.
"Oooooh yes! Tacos!" said Amethyst loudly, as both looked at the tallest gem in the house, who nodded and both gave out a shout of joy before running out the door. Garnet began to walk towards it, not before she said "Keep an eye on him." and left.
Onyx sighed and sat back on the couch, head looking at the ceiling. "You know, as much as I miss seeing the original front, we should of built a place like this ages ago."
"We did it for Steven." replied Pearl, sitting down.
"I know that but still."
"So...how are you and Garnet now?"
"Eh more or less better but have a long long away to go. It was nice to go back down memory lane."
"Wish you tell us where this special place is, one of these days."
"Eh in due time, Pearl." he said, looking at her and giving her a smile before rubbing her hair, which he knew she sort of didn't like. "In due time."
TBC
Hi so sorry it took a long time but had the original deleted by mistake and tried to figure out a good way to introduce Connie here. Anyways next chapter might be a two parter but it be a mission one with Steven and Onyx but you decide who they have a mission first want Pearl or Amethyst to be on the mission? Up o you people, and also happy new year.