Steven watched her as she rambled on about the newest book to her favourite series, her hands flailing about in the air and moving with wild abandon. What she was talking about, he had no idea, but he didn’t mind just letting her talk. She was rather beautiful when she went on about- Wait. Beautiful? It was at that moment that he realised, Oh no. I’m in love with her.
Steven had always liked Connie. There was nothing new there, because he liked everybody. He didn’t really realise he like liked her until the first time they fused and it was so easy to see how well they fit together. Deep down, after they unfused, he knew that she liked him too. Years went by with them dancing around the fact that they liked each other, and Steven always thought it was just a simple crush.
Now, after so many years together, it was impossible to deny that he didn’t just like her. He loved her. He loved the smile she wore, the way her eyes crinkled when she was tired, and her enthusiasm for everything about his life. Just watching her talk was drawing a warm blush to his cheeks. Afraid of her reaction and changing this between them, he didn’t dare breathe a word of this to her. Or for that matter, anyone else.
Over the next few weeks, he found more and more about her that he liked. Loved even. He loved how excited she gets about a new episode for her favourite show, a new book or movie, or anything to do with a series she’s into. Loved the way she’d sit extra close to him when they sit together, and the way she talked with her hands when she’d get extremely excited and giddy. It’s simply amazing the way her eyes light up when he has something he wants to show her, and her pose when she’s getting ready to practice sword fighting leaves him awestruck every time. Steven found himself so head over heels he doesn’t know how which way is up, but he didn’t care because Connie is something he can’t stand to live without.
The first person to notice anything was up is Amethyst, but that’s nothing really new. She’s made jokes at their expense for years- mostly when Pearl’s not around- and he couldn’t tell if they’re the same jokes or if she’s actually figured out that he’s so in love with her that it hurts. He gave her the same groans and eye rolls, blushes and stammers, and flat out ignorance as usual though so she doesn’t think anything new is up. He’s really unable to tell if she’s actually noticed, or if she’s still playing, and he’s not going to chance it otherwise.
Garnet was the first to actually say something. He couldn’t tell the exact moment that she found out, but she could have saw him saying something in the future, and he’s never sure. Maybe she had seen the way he looked at Connie, or saw his lip bite while she rambled on and all he wanted to do was kiss her, or maybe it was just some intuition she has. Regardless, she stopped him by the door one day on the way to meet the nerd he’s so in love with by putting her arm across his path and effectively stopping him from going through.
“Ga-Garnet! What’s up?” he managed to stammer, and she had smirked at him in a way that said she knew everything bad that he’d ever done. He’s a little kid with his hand in the cookie jar again, and she’s caught him red handed.
“This is the fifth time this week you’re going to meet her. It’s Monday, Steven, and I recognize lovesickness when I see it.” He had blushed because she knew. It had repeated in his head like a chant, and he made himself look away.
“I…” Should he lie? No, of course not. Garnet knew him too well for him to get away with lying. He looked back to her, tears in his eyes, and her face had softened. “Am I really that obvious?” His voice was too soft, too weak, but she wasn’t judging him. She never had, and she wouldn’t start then.
“No. I only noticed because I know you, I know her, and I know love when I see it.” She paused, readjusted her glasses, and her arms are pulling him close into a tight hug that he so need. He melted in her embrace, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight for all that it was worth. Before too long, she had pulled him back and squatted to be more at his height, smiling a smile that said more than she should have been allowed. “You should say something. I don’t see a future where it ends badly.”
Then Garnet had kissed his forehead, and he saw every future possible. There wasn’t a single one among them where she rejected him because he actually said it. The worst was when he doesn’t, and they never admit it to each other. When she pulled back and smiled, he smiled back and his hair was ruffled like he was a child again.
“Go get her tiger.” So with one more kiss- this time to Garnet’s cheek, he’s out the door, and he had waved as he left. The simply wave back was enough to give him enough courage to run down the beach to where they were meeting, because the future was going to end well, and he was pumped.