Nova Academy

Grumpy

"Who's my grumpy boy?" Connie cooed at Steven when he got closer to the van.

"Aw, he's so emo you could almost believe it!" Jacob exclaimed.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's not go too far," Adam protested. "That's my thing."

"Oh, come on!" Jacob giggled to a swat from him. "You're definitely more goth than you are emo."

"Aren't those the same thing?" Anna asked meekly to a disgusted and offended gasp from Adam.

Steven slumped into the backseat and crossed his arms tighter. His friends supposedly meant well, and they were taking him to the beach to cheer him up.

It wasn't very often he woke up truly grumpy.  He didn't know if he was sexually frustrated or just tired or what, but it reached deep into his soul. Every single thing was a cheese grater to his nerves: the bright sun, the birds chirping cheerfully at five fucking thirty, puppies, kittens, flowers, everything.

Connie was brushing her fingers over his hand now. "Baby~,"

"What?" Even when he was trying to sound sharp, she giggled.

"I love youuuuu~," She teased at his chin and scratched his scruff he'd let grow.

Despite his irritation, he mumbled, "Love you too."

"Come on, Steven." Hazel adjusted the mirror so he could see him. "We all love you man, some time outside will do you some good, baby boy."

He glared at him and tugged the strings on his hoodie so it would obscure his face, and the subsequent deep blush that appeared.

His dominant side hated that nickname almost as much as his submissive side loved it, and he hated everything today, that included.

"Geez, I'm almost worried about him. All he needs is the eyeliner," Jacob laughed. "What do you think, Steven? Should we swing back to college and grab you some makeup? Would you like that? I bet you wou–" He leaned back to boop Stevens nose but he let out a low growl he typically only saved for Connie or Lion and Jacob snatched his hand back.

"Dude you just narrowly escaped losing your entire hand," Jasmin laughed to an adoring grin from Jacob.

"Honestly, that'd be kinda awesome," He admitted staring down at his hands. "I'd have a reason to install the hook I keep in my storage unit."

"Why do you have a hook in your storage unit?" Jasmin questioned suspiciously. "Please don't be one of those things that makes me concerned about your lack of self preservation instincts."

Jacob looked over at Alex in exasperation and rolled his eyes before replying, "For when I lose my hand. It's inevitable with how many jars I've gotten it stuck in."

Steven grumbled at the cheerful conversation and looked out the window. Everything was perfect. He should be enjoying himself, and feeling guilty about it was making it worse.

"Steven," Connie murmured in his ear.

"What do you want?"

His eyes dropped to his pants and he let out a groan that was so obnoxious Hazel almost crashed the van. "What? What's wrong?!"

"Nothing," Connie laughed. "Keep driving."

He tried to will it down a little or completely away. After a couple of minutes it disappeared and he let his head fall back. His body seemed flat out against him today and he had no idea why.

"It's like I'm a teenager all over again." Steven grabbed her hand forcefully and sulked even harder.

"You're just... so cute when you're mad." She pinched his cheek and this time the growl was directed at her.