(alternate) steven universe future x gem reader

part 3: Negotiation Gone Wrong

Your eyes widened behind your bangs as you look up to the large familiar figure perched atop the rock cave wearing a cloak. And of course, when she shed said cloak, you feel yourself freeze at the sickeningly familiar former orange striped soldier of homeworld glaring down at the boy with scornful amber eyes. "UGH! what do you want now!?"

"Jasper..." Steven muttered, his voice almost plaintiff while you just stared up in silent contempt. "...I just want to talk!" Jasper scoffs in irritation and leaps down from her perch, landing right in front of the boy, glaring down at him in wait of a reply. You also glance down at him, wondering what he'd say to break the ice with his supposed ex-rival. He awkwardly puts his hand behind his head. "So um... how's it going?" You curled your lip I bemusement at his awkward greeting, crossing your arms with a lifted brow. "I know it's been a while since we last... uh... talked.." You stared down at Steven with near a deadpan expression on your face. Well. Glad to see his ex-soldier conversation skills have improved.

As you watched Steven attempt to negotiate with a mildly disinterested poker face, you failed to notice her eyes looking you up and down, eyes narrowing at the sudden recognition.

"Now why... are you here?" You snapped your head up to see jasper's spiteful eyes were trained on you. Oh no.

"U-um-!" Steven stammered as you tensed up, clenching your jaw to prevent your teeth from chattering. "(N-name)'s just uh--!" Jasper cut him off, pushing him roughly aside as she approached you with a slow, intimidating stride. "I was talking to the Beaststone..." She snarled, prompting you to tuck your tail between your legs and back up as she came uncomfortably close. "Why did you come here?" She demanded again, making you shrink beneath her menacing glare. "... (name) came... to..er.. " you're barely able to speak as you trip over your heels and plopped onto your bottom, with jasper now looming over you, appearing to enjoy your rather pathetic form beneath her. You swallowed the knot in your throat to mutter a shaky reply. "(Name) came to check on jasper."

For a split second, you could've sworn you saw surprise flash in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced with a sly smirk, as she bent down and took hold of your face. "Oh, what? All of a sudden you're worried about me now?" She snickered crudely at the small blush that dusted your cheeks and released your face with a jerk. "Heh... well. I don't need your pity." She glared down at your trembling form, her smoldering eyes looking your body up and down with an unreadable expression. "Unlike you, I didn't let myself go soft." She curled her lip at you, scoffing. "As if your type couldn't get any weaker..." you winced slightly, growling in your throat. "Jasper should be happy that at least someone still cares about her." You growled. "Even after the stunt she pulled last encounter..."

Jasper grit her teeth, growling at the remark and was going to say something else, but Steven suddenly stepped between you, holding his hands up while wearing a rather forced smile. "Th-this isn't about (name)!" He laughs awkwardly up at the massive soldier as she grunted and walked away from you both, towards a massive boulder before clearing his throat. "So... what's with the rocks?"

"Training." jasper replied with a flat, matter-of-fact tone as she took hold of said boulder and hurls it onto a rock pile in front of her cave. "Oh." Steven uttered as you laid on your back and started to play with a beetle in your hands. "I thought maybe-" that was when jasper suddenly walks past, intentionally knocking into Steven and stepping on your tail, eliciting a yelp from you, flicking said beetle out of your hands. "Maybe, you were getting into art?" Steven suggested. "That pile really complements the decor." you look up from your mashed tail, to fix the boy with an unamused expression. Really trying hard here...

The unimpressed jasper glares for a moment before kicking a boulder from the pile, causing a rock to roll towards him, who inches aside, narrowly avoiding it. "Okay.." Steven huffed, mildly irritated. "What are you even training for? there's no one left to fight." Jasper rolls her eyes. "There's always someone to fight." She responds sharply. Before crossing her arms, like she were pouting. "There's just no one left worth fighting." Steven apparently saw this as an opportunity and brightened up. "In that case, maybe you could come join us at little homeschool?" Jasper narrowed her eyes into a look of deadpan annoyance. "No." you lowered your head to your lap and huffed, pinching the space between your eyes. It's hopeless..