My Only Friend (Steven x Spinel)

6 - Worries

A couple days later..

The Crystal Gems hung out in the beach house, talking to each other and having a good time. A little gossip was thrown around, too.

Amethyst, Peridot, and Steven were sitting on the couch seeing who had the best throw for the fun of it. They had placed the kitchen's trash can at the other side of the living room.

Peridot was levitating a soda can just above her hand, "Well, if you think your throw is better than mine, I'm about to prove you- wrong!"

As she spoke the last word, she threw the can across the room. It hit the rim and bounced away from the trash can, landing at the side of it. Peridot's expression showed that of disappointment.

"'Best throw', huh?" Amethyst mocked, Peridot frowning.

The can lifted upwards as Peridot used her powers and flew it over to Amethyst, "Well, your throw could still be worse than mine."

Amethyst rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah- Let's see about that."

Amethyst threw the soda can and it hit the side of the trash can. Peridot smirked.

"Guess I was right after all-"

"Can't forget about me, guys." Steven spoke up, the two short gems looked at him.

"Right, can't celebrate too early.." Peridot scoffed, floating the soda can to Steven.

As Steven were going to throw it, Pearl walked to the group, annoyed.

"Did you three take the trash-" She gasped, "-You did!"

The three shared nervous glances.

"And are you the ones making the ruckus, too? Oh my stars," Pearl paused to calm herself and looked at Peridot and Amethyst,
"You two put it back and do something to help."

The two nodded, quickly standing up and doing so to prevent Pearl from getting any angrier. Steven placed the soda can in the garbage and was about to go with them when Pearl stopped him.

"Steven, come with me. I needed to talk to you, anyways."

"..Okay.." Steven replied, skeptical. What Pearl wanted to talk to him about was a mystery.

The two of them walked out the door and sat on the steps. They sat at an angle where they were able to face each other.

Pearl begun, "So.. I'm noticing that you've been out much more these past days. Especially since last week you seemed so.. sad.. I've been really worried about all of it."

"Yeah.. Sorry for worrying you and the rest about all that. I was just.. seeing friends.." Steven replied.

"Okay, just tell us when you're going out, so we know. Actually.. Spinel has gone missing from Homeworld, and everyone's really worried. It came while you were gone and she could be d-"

"I-" Steven refrained from saying that he knew where Spinel was. Her words repeated in his mind:

"The gems at Homeworld hate me.. and they're going to come after me, I know it. Didn't know where else to go but here to hide..
Steven, no one else can know I'm here."
"They'll make me go back."

"..But, search teams are looking for her in Homeworld right now. I know that you guys haven't seen each other in awhile-"

"Yeah.. hearing that she's missing is just.. terrible.." Steven lied.

He knew exactly where Spinel was, and everyone but him and Garnet are scared to bits about the situation. Would Spinel be safe by herself?

Pearl spoke, "I know, I'm a little.. scared for her. I don't exactly trust her but.. she's important to the Diamonds. She took your place there as a stand-in after all.."

Steven nodded as his reply.

"But, I wanted to talk to you about something else.." Pearl sighed,
"..About your relationship with Connie."

"Oh.. her.." Steven looked off.

Spinel made him forget about Connie. He didn't feel as sad about her breaking up with him, but still was. Enough to get him a little worked up about it.

Pearl noticed his reaction and apologized, "I'm sorry for reminding you of all of that, but you two were so close before she broke up with you.."

Steven blinked back the tears in his eyes, "It's a-alright. I'm mostly over it.."

"..That's good. I just want you to try to be friends with her again. I know that she didn't mean to hurt you, she really cares about you.."

"..I don't know about getting to be friends with her again.." He sighed,
"But I'll try to at least talk to her."

Pearl smiled. She got up and signaled to Steven that they were going back inside. He got up and followed her in. Steven walked to the kitchen and sat in one of the swivel chairs. Amethyst was there talking to Garnet. Amethyst paused the conversation and walked to Steven.

"So," She sat down next to him, "You get in trouble or anything?"

"No, just had a..talk. Nothing important, really.."

She whispered, "Did you tell her about your crush on Sp-"

"N-No, it wasn't even about that..!" Steven replied in an equally quiet tone, then looking away from her, embarrassed.

Amethyst smirked and went back to Garnet.

"That's all you pestered him about?" Garnet asked.

"Yeah, I don't want P' to overhear it. She isn't ready for the news yet, I'm sure."

"I can't say you're wrong. Though I don't think teasing him about it further will help that goal."

Amethyst put her hand on her hip, "Yeah, yeah- like she will find out."

Garnet crossed her arms and adjusted her visor.
"I'm not here to stop you, then."

Amethyst rolled her eyes and opened the fridge and got out a soda can.

Meanwhile, Peridot and Bismuth were talking on the couch. After Peridot and Amethyst finished their punishment duties, they parted ways. Peridot and Bismuth were talking about the murder case.

"We're getting really close to finding out who that shatterer is, just have to narrow down the two suspects.." Peridot said.

"Yeah, I'm glad this one was easy and didn't escalate or anything," Bismuth looked down at Peridot, "The Diamonds have enough on their minds right now."

The green gem looked confused, asking, "Huh? How so?"

"Didn't you hear about it? Spinel's missing. Pretty recently, too." Bismuth replied.

"Ohhh.. Right."

There was a moment of silence. Peridot had time to think if Spinel's sudden disappearance.
Then she remembered someone,

Lapis.

"Speaking of missing.. where's Lapis? Wasn't she supposed to come back from searching yesterday?"

"I think I saw her? But you don't have to worry about her, I bet she's somewhere close.."

Peridot's expression changed to one full of worry. She stood up and walked all over the house, quickly searching the rooms she didn't have to ask permission to enter, confusing the others. Not finding Lapis, she ran back to the living room.

"Lapis is missing.. I-I couldn't find her anywhere. The murderer is still out there, too.."

Bismuth sighed, looking up at the other Crystal Gems.

"..Well, let's tell the others and get looking! We don't have much time to waste."

Peridot showed little smile, quickly telling the others to get ready for a search mission.

*To be continued...

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A/N

Hey, Madi here, and I'm back! It's nice writing this again- Got a little lazy on getting Bismuths dialogue accurate to her personality, but I think it's fine for now.
But thank you so much for over 2k reads!! I never expected this fic to get popular- Especially with the long break I took on it.
Hope you have a nice day!