A Shooting Star

Lonely

"That's not funny, Peridot!" Steven cried. "That's not funny at all!"

Connie giggled. "Way to–," '–fuck yourself over Steven.' She glanced over at Greg, who looked about one second away from a complete meltdown. "Peridot... You don't mean actually, do you?"

"Hm? No! Of course not! Why?" She blinked a few times and tried to drag herself out of her own world. A second later her cheeks darkened and she waved her hands as if to scrub the moment from existence. "Pretend like I didn't say that! What I meant was there seems to be a surge in Stevens powers and human energy, and a pseudo effect of Connie being pregnant with Stevens baby would be that both the child and carrying vessel (Connie) would be considered quarter gem DNA wise until the embryo reaches the gestation in which you humans crap it out on a table!" She pondered that for a moment. "It's almost like the gem itself is the baby's life source, like a placenta would be. So it's kind of pregnant too, but Steven wouldn't be and he indefinitely won't lose his gem over it. He's just... sharing his power, though it'll manifest differently since your personalities are different and–,"

"Write it down, Peridot!" Steven snapped, pulling at his hair. "Give me a minute!"

Peridot fell silent, as did everything else but the ocean. His mind had a thought, but he lost it when it was drowned out by Peridots lecture.

Connie tried to swallow all of that down and rubbed at Steven's back. Maybe she could get her to elaborate. "So...? That would just mean...?"

Stevens head rocketed up. "Wait! I-I kinda get it, it's like the reflection of light in a mirror? You're reflecting me because I put a direct copy of–," Steven shook his head abruptly. "Dad you need to leave.  This is so weird."

"Got it. See you kids later. Don't be a stranger."

Steven pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to fight off the blush setting his face ablaze. "Anyways... You're saying that because I put a direct copy of DNA in Connie, and it stuck, that her and Comets DNA are able to use the magic that took hold when she got pregnant?"

"Actually, yes! This is the first ever recorded quarter gem baby to be born. They won't have a gemstone, but it's almost like they're just made with just enough magic that it genetically passes to them. The data we could get off of this kid is going to be phenomenal!" The green gem wrung her hands as she imagined their baby and the possibility of it having powers. It took her a moment to notice both parties glaring at her. "Oh. I wouldn't never do any of those things non consensually, of course!"

"Peridot, I love you but you guys aren't putting my kid through any of the stuff you guys put me through." Steven hugged her tight and pulled away. "How do we figure out which ones Connie has?"

Peridot grimaced. "I'm sorry Steven but it's all variable. There's no reliable way to tell, you'll just have to "roll with the punching"."

He sighed. At least it wasn't a complete bust. "Right on."

Later, they both sat next to each other on the bed and Connie wiggled her fingers. "Empathy."

Steven raised an eyebrow. "Uhm... that's a good trait to have."

She snorted. "No, you have empathetic powers. I wonder if... if I could try."

Now his heart quickened in pace. He was still feeling terrible about subjecting her to have his powers, even if the gestation was short and temporary. Steven grabbed her hand and kissed it. "Try it on me, if you'd like."

"I don't trust anyone like I trust you." His fiancee climbed onto his lap and sighed shakily. "Okay, I'm kind of understanding at least how to bring it about. It's like... a feeling of 'I need to do this now, there are no options'."