Steven Universe Fic (Season 2)

part 2 chapter six: Prove It

Steven did his best to avoid Spinel, but it wasn't the easiest of tasks considering she lingered around the house with her arms leashed around Pearl and Garnet like they were toddlers.
Everywhere she went she had the two of them connected to her purely to keep them out of trouble, it wasn't helpful that neither of them would stay put long enough to enter their rooms, and Spinel steered clear of the infinity door regardless.
So the vacant minded gems merely meandered about the house like ghosts while Steven arranged for Bismuth, Lapis, and Peridot to essentially babysit while he prepared to talk to the diamonds.

"Steven?" Spinel's voice was small, but he still heard it while he fiddled with his miniature diamond base. Steven turned and there she was, pink and precious and looking quite unsure of herself. He offered a small smile, but didn't move closer, despite longing to.

"Yeah?"

Spinel shifted her feet, as much as she didn't like the idea of seeing the diamonds again, and being constantly held like a porcelain doll with Steven she felt the inexplicable urge to prove that she didn't need him to coddle her.
She didn't want to need him to.

"I know I said I can handle myself now..." she hesitated, Steven noticed the way her fingers reached for the longer strands of her hair. Spinel lowered her hand slowly. "I know I said it, but I want to- to prove it to you, so..can I go...to see the diamonds...with you?"

Steven tilted his head slightly, holding back the small chuckle he had at her words.

"You don't have to prove anything to me." Though he would like her to. Just to make sure. Just to be safe.

Spinel hid her uncomfortable grimace at her own words, it wasn't so much as proving it to him as it was proving it to herself.
There were still things that she had trouble with.
And she couldn't let Steven baby her because of them. She couldn't let herself stagnate because of them.

"But if you want to come I won't stop you." He added, just for good measure.
She didn't want to go. But she had to.

"Right."

Spinel didn't look him in the eyes but Steven knew she didn't actually want to go with him, if anything this was her forcing herself to do something just to look more comparable. If he declined her request she could easily turn it into a perfect example of his desire to shelf her. It would be easier to let her try and secretly, hopefully, fail.

Steven moved from the computer to the warp pad and patiently waited for Spinel to follow, holding out his hand for her to take. She grabbed it gently, and he could feel her ever so slight trembles. She was terrified, he didn't want to think about how much he liked it.

If she was scared, she would break under it eventually, and he could swoop it and protect her, she would know that he was right and she was wrong and she would let him protect her. It was a perfect trap. And a vile thought.

Steven pushed it as far down as he could, slightly tightening his grip on Spinel's hand as the warp pad lit up to take them to their eventual destination.

The two of them appeared on the warp in the diamond palace, Steven felt Spinel tense as her eyes glossed over her surroundings.
Flickering, hazy memories passed through the gems mind as she stared at the empty thrones, the living walls and blinding lights.
She tentatively glanced at Steven before stealing herself in false courage and refusing to look at him. Though her fingers tightened around his, notifying the boy of her subconscious terror.

Steven nodded, looking back at her, though she kept her eyes away from his, if he saw them, he would see the fear in them too. That couldn't happen.

"Starlight?"

Spinel seemingly turned to stone at the voice, wrenching her gaze from the floor toward it's source. Steven could see her and feel her shaking, but she gulped dryly and took a painfully small step forward. Facing one of her many personal nightmares.