Steven Universe Fic (Season 2)

part 1 Chapter Six: Just Concerned

Steven found Spinel sitting on top of the lighthouse, it was one of the places he knew she liked to go when she was upset, or thinking about things that would inevitably make her upset. He took a small hop and floated up to meet her.
She wasn't interested in conversation, the gem deliberately turned herself to face away from him as he approached, continuing her idle sulking in obsolete secrecy.

"Spinel?" Steven hesitated, he didn't want to upset her further, but she seemed more distant after her attempt to convince everyone something was wrong with him.

Spinel ducked her head to avoid him, letting out a disgruntled huff at his presence.

"Don't wanna talk." She muttered before he took another step. Of course she didn't want to talk, despite her efforts no one actually listened to her, no one made any plans to do anything. It was like they heard her talk and then let her words fly out the window. Like they didn't even care.

Steven nodded, but still came closer, causing her to scoot further away to continue her quiet, frustrated moping.

"I know, but I do." He replied, sitting down next to her and inching just close enough to brush against her, it did as he hoped it would and drew her attention toward him. So he gave her a small smile.
Spinel's brow furrowed at this, and Steven's smile wavered, did she not want that? He thought he had gotten so much better at knowing her, and what made her happy and not, she couldn't be switching things up on him all of the sudden- he knew how to push all her buttons.

"Why aren't we doing anything?" She asked, her eyes moving down to her feet.

Steven let out a reluctant sigh, of course that was why she was mad.

"I know you're worried and all," he began, treading as lightly as he could with his words, "but you're a gem, and I don't think you know enough about, um, anatomy?"

Spinel's head shot up, the mild anger on her face slowly being intruded upon by confusion.

"What's anatomy?"

Steven's shoulders slowly relaxed, this was the part where he'd have to explain to her the many, many ways she could be entirely wrong.

"It's like..parts of the human body? And how they work." He explained, not wanting to go into too much detail on the subject.

"What's that have to do with anything?" She scoffed, crossing her arms over herself. Steven's eyes trailed down to his shoes, he wasn't done yet.

"Also," he began, drawing her attention once more, the gem looked at him as he twiddle his thumbs in anticipation. "I know you've only fused twice..so I don't expect you to know how your thoughts can effect them."

Spinel blinked in confusion, she wasn't mad, which was a relief. But Steven's only saving grace was that she didn't understand what he meant. How could she? She refused every opportunity and request of both him as well as Amethyst  to fuse. He didn't blame her though, her thoughts could be all consuming, and she was fully aware of that.

"Okay, and that means?" She replied slowly, Steven wanted to dissapear at her words, explaining further would surely set her off.

"Sometimes you can see things..that aren't there- like in mom's room?"

Spinel looked away from him, falling still and silent as she contemplated his meager explanation.
It wasn't the reaction he was expecting, at all. Steven expected frustration, snapping back, even lashing out.
Spinel continued to surprise him, it was one of the things he enjoyed the most about her, as well as one of his least favorite things.

"I didn't know that.." she finally said, her words were small and she seemed to shrink in on herself, light blush on her face from her embarrassment.
Steven instinctively moved closer to comfort her, his arm naturally wrapping around her in a side hug.

"It's okay, they're just thoughts." He repeated the small mantra Garnet had shared with him, for her as well as himself. His own thoughts could consume him on occasion.

"I was just concerned." Spinel mumbled softly, half leaning into his embrace. Steven couldn't help but smile at her words, he knew she was concerned for him, albeit misinformed in that, but saying it aloud made his heart flutter just a little.
He wanted to give her a small kiss on the cheek as a token of appreciation, though she had rejected his advances recently, he wasn't sure why though.
He just wanted to be close, maybe closer than she knew.
For now though, he could suffice with her letting him hold her.