(Alternate) Steven Universe x Corrupt gem reader Insert

part 32: frustrated hurt

whAT!?

Greg then spun and closed the door with an "Ole!" before noticing you both staring at him wide eyed, "Steven!" he exclaimed with a start, dropping his gathered food all over the floor. "you guys scared me, son. didn't see you.. standing in the doorway." he cheerfully explained. "your old man's still got it!"

your eye squints as Steven furrows his brow into an angry glare. greg looked almost puzzled by this. "what? this?" he refers to the food stuffs in his hands clearly unaware of his situation at hand. "guess I couldn't wait for those donuts." you grunt crossly and tap your finger against the wood floor with a growl, as Steven crosses his arms. at this point he finally catches on to the fact that he's standing on both legs and breaks into a sweat. "uh.. oh yeah." he drops the food again and clutches his leg as if it were hurting. "ugh, ouch!" he falls to the ground dramatically and rolls on the floor, which only makes his situation worse. You slid a hand beneath your bangs and pinched the bridge between your eyes with an exasperated huff. "busted." you rumbled blankly. "we get what's going on." Steven growled. "your leg isn't broken at all, is it?" Steven asked in a vexed voice. greg, finally grasping that the jig is up, rises to his feet with a guilty frown. "it was broken," he muttered shamefully as he rubbed his arm. "but you healed it back at the car wash." your eyes went wide in shock. What!? he held the act for that long?! "deceiver..." you growled lowly, feeling burning hot anger in your chest.

"YOU LIED TO ME!" Steven exclaimed angrily causing you to flinch. you were so used to seeing to seeing steven being chipper and perky, that seeing him look remotely angered caught you off guard. "now I can't do it anymore!" you looked at the boy in minor alarm. Angry and frantic? That just didn't fit steven... "What..?" greg asked, equally as alarmed. "the gems needed me to fix the broken rock, but my healing powers aren't working!" he exclaimed in a frantic bout of anger. "it's... it's because of you!" he accused. "you messed with my head!" your mouth opened as greg leaned back slightly. "No! I didn't mean for-" he was almost as frantic as Steven was, but he looked more guilty then ever. "I-I just wanted to live with my son again!" you looked at greg, a unique mix of anger and sympathy stirring in you. yes, he deceived everyone with his lie... but only because he missed his son. you weren't aware of how long it's been since he's been able to interact with his son like this. because the time you've spent in the beach house, you never saw him... but that really doesn't excuse the fact he put Steven into such a devastatingly strong state of self-doubt... "I really thought I was getting better..." Steven whimpered. "I finally felt like a crystal gem..." his voice breaks and his eyes begin to tear up. "now what if I can't do... anything?"

you frowned sadly at the boy. the poor child... "steven! don't beat yourself up!" greg exclaimed putting his hands on his shoulders. "this is my fault!" steven angry threw the man's hands off him. "Yeah! YEAH IT IS!" you flinched at the harsh tone and staggered back in a haste as steven storms out the door and slams the door behind him.

"uugh! what am I going to do!?" he exclaims in grieve, as you watched on wearily. "my powers, they're-" you finally found your voice and spoke up. "S-Steven's powers just fickle!" you tried to reassure him. "(name)'s sure Greg's desperate attempt at being with you has nothing to do with-" steven groans and clasps his hands to his head. "that's not the point, (name)!" he exclaims in frustration. "how can I be a crystal gem if I don't have helpful powers like mom did?!" you squint your eye, curling your lip wearily. "steven...still has shield...? Shield is pretty useful... and you can make bubble--" you huffed, dragging a paw across your temple in a surge of distressed frustration at yourself and the situation. "nngh, not the point." You grumbled, clasping a paw to his shoulder, making sure to be gentle but firm at the same time. "The point is Steven can be a crystal gem, with or without fancy powers, like (name) can be a crystal gem, with or without corruption." Steven looked up at you, an ever so slightly visible shine returning to his eyes. He looked mildly convinced. However his visage crumpled slightly. "But... I-" you place a thumb over his mouth before he can finish and lifted your other paw to move your bangs so he can see your stern (color) eyes. he raises his brows in what looked like surprise, but you just brush it off as him being taken aback by your actions.

"Steven is crystal gem. With or without powers. Because unlike (name) he is essential to the team."

He stands there in a stupor of shock as you smiled warmly and released your grip on him, stepping back, letting your hair fall over your eyes again. "steven needs to clear his head." you suggested softly. "(name) will go to big donut while Steven stay here and sort things out." you turned on and stepped off the pourch, dimly aware of Steven watching with a faint glint of assurance in his stare. "(name) will be back." with that, you lumbered off to the small pastry shop, leaving steven to have some time to think to himself and clear his head, while at the time time, giving yourself time to think and clear your head.

After all, the events of today has left your head in a dizzying state of disarray..