This fic is part of a series of three one-shots detailing how Steven and the Crystal Gems have been handling themselves after the events of my fic, Steven Universe: Return of Cinnabar. However, this fic is mostly readable without reading that fic. For the context, Steven and Peridot are in a romantic relationship, Connie has numerous scars across her body after a run in with Return of Cinnabar's villain, and Steven tried to save someone who ended up dying.

This takes place during Steven's Birthday in the middle of the Cluster Drill Arc.

"I can't believe it's my birthday already!"

Steven folded the loose fabric of the banner over his arm, a wide smile curling on his face. Turning, he handed the curled stack of cloth to Peridot, who took it with a nod.

"Why? Another 365 Earth days have passed," she began, heaving the banner up. She circled the table the Crystal Gems had surrounded, handing the tucked sign to Garnet. With a huff, she continued. "I find it quite believable."

Steven let out a laugh as she walked back, a confused look to her face. After a moment, her eyes lit up.

"Ah! That's one of your Earth idioms, isn't it!" she called, bumping into his side. Giggling, he nodded.

"It just means he's excited, Peri," Amethyst spoke up, pausing from the balloon she was inflating. "Homeboy's been counting down to his fourteenth since his thirteenth."

"It's an exciting day," Garnet commented, a small smile hinting her face as she put the banner aside. "Things have been hectic lately, you deserve the day off."

Garnet adjusted her visor as she looked on at the group of three.

"We all deserve the day off."

"Hm, I'm still worried," Pearl added, holding up the liters of soda she was putting away. "I don't want to forget to celebrate Steven's birthday, of course. But can we really take the whole day off and lose the progress on the drill for the Cluster?"

"Peridot's been keeping us on track," Steven replied with a smile. He tapped against Peridot's hip with a roll of his own, causing her to yelp and snap to attention. "We've got time, right?"

"Erm, uh, yes!" Peridot said, her face becoming warm as she looked up. "The Cluster Drill is surprisingly ahead of schedule."

"See?" Steven said, turning to the other Gems. Underneath the table, Steven's hand found Peridot's. The squeeze he gave her didn't help to dispel the blush from her face.

Pearl nodded, her lips flat as she turned away from the two. Leaning down to pick up more soda from the bags at her feet, she chuckled. Did those two think they were being subtle?

"Steven," Garnet said aloud, catching the teen's attention. Steven looked up, his hand still latched to Peridot's under the table. He listened as Garnet continued. "The nail to hang the banner up with is going to be loose."

Garnet touched her visor, tapping into her Future Vision a little further. The image of Steven climbing a ladder only to find the nail unusable played in her mind.

"Go find another in the barn to replace it," she finished, hand falling from her face. Steven nodded.

"On it!" he said with a mock salute. Separating from Peridot's side, Steven walked off, ready to begin the epic and difficult journey needed to find the item Garnet needed: A nail.

Eyes in the group followed as he approached the barn, keeping contact until he just about slipped inside. They then snapped to Peridot, startling her.

"How is he?" All three of the Gems said at once, dropping their preparations and hugging the edge of the fold up table. Peridot took a step back, the sudden questions putting her on the spot.

"I— what?" she asked, stepping forward and putting her hands on the table.

"You've been glued to his side every day since what happened, Peri," Amethyst opened, standing the furthest left of the three. Her hands curled against the bottom of the table, the hard plastic bending under her grip. "We know Ste-man's not telling us how he's been holding up, thinks he's protecting us or some junk."

"But he doesn't understand, that we need to be protecting him first," Pearl continued, standing across the table from Amethyst. A hand went to her chest. "So we need to know, how is he?"

Eyes drifted to Garnet, the only one of the three to not speak up yet. She stood directly across from Peridot, the length of the table separating them. With her arms crossed, she looked up.

"It's for Steven's sake," Garnet said simply. With that, Peridot nodded, the importance of the situation finally connecting. It was for Steven. And for Steven, she'd do anything.

"You're right to think he's hiding things from you," she began, gaze drifting to Amethyst first. A tinge of disappointment flashed in Amethyst's eyes. Guess the Shorty Squad wasn't enough. Secrets were still being kept. "He's done quite well in keeping his true emotional state concealed."

"Stop praising the guy for keeping a secret, and start telling us it, Peri!" Amethyst snapped, checking to make sure Steven wasn't returning. Peridot's lips went flat.

"Steven's been… upset, over what happened to—" she gulped. The why wasn't important she thought, just the what. "—He's upset."

"We guessed that much," Pearl replied, her hand falling from her chest. "How upset? Is there anything we can do?"

Peridot shook her head.

"He told me he didn't want to worry the others." Pausing for a moment, Peridot continued. "You three, he didn't want to worry you three. You, and Connie."

"What about—" Garnet began.

"…And Greg, that human Steven calls Dad. Steven didn't want to worry him either," Peridot continued. "And those two humans, that live in the house of confectionaries."

"Lars and Sadie?" Amethyst suggested, raising a brow. Peridot nodded.

"Yes, those two." Peridot rubbed her chin, her mind processing. "And also—"

"Okay, easier question. Was there anyone he was fine with worrying?" Garnet shot in, cutting off Peridot before she began to name off everyone in Beach City. "Besides you, it seems."

Peridot's lips went flat before she shook her head.

"Steven can't really keep secrets from me," she said with a snort. "He's a terrible liar."

"Onto the point," Pearl continued. A hand went up to her forehead as she sighed. "So, we know now, at the very least. But what then? What are we going to do about Steven?"

Silence took the group then. A shallow awkward had-to-bring-up silence. Pearl twiddled her fingers. Amethyst blew air through her lips. Not an idea between them. None. Nada.

A sigh escaped Garnet's lips.

"If you're the only one he's told, Peridot, then I suspect it's because he feels you're one of the few people able to help him."

"Me? Why me?" Peridot stared in dumbfoundment. "I'm certainly not the most capable in terms of emotional support."

"It's got nothing to do with how capable ya are, Peri," Amethyst said, rolling her eyes. "It's how compatible ya are. You're dating the dude. He trusts his heart with you or some junk."

The offended look that grew on Pearl's face made Amethyst snort.

"Anyways," Pearl grumbled, stepping forward. "What Garnet is trying to get at is, we're trusting you to take care of him, Peridot."

"Because Steven trusts you, so we do too," Garnet continued, her hand pulling her visor down from her face. Peridot went quiet then, Garnet's heterochromatic eyes staring her down and yet also inviting her to speak up. "Can you do this for us, Peridot? As a new member of the Crystal Gems?"

Thought overtook Peridot, her face twisting in contemplation as an idea came to her. Turning, Peridot put her back to the Gems, surprising them. More silence, more thought. Sighing, Peridot pinched the bridge of her nose before turning back.

"No," she simply said.

"What?" Pearl cried in shock, her brow furrowing.

Garnet was taken aback, Peridot's defiance putting her off balance for a moment. She didn't see this happening, not at all.

"What do you mean?" Garnet asked, her voice calm as she chose to ask questions first and get angry immediately after.

"I mean, I'm not going to do it! Not for you bunch of crumby clo—" Peridot paused, taking a deep breath. "Not for you."

Peridot closed her eyes. More deep breaths. Calming her temper, she continued.

"You're all operating under the assumption that I consider myself a member of the Crystal Gems," Peridot accused, a familiar scowl taking her face. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not the ideal image of a loyal Peridot Technician, I accept that. But I'm far from casually taking orders from a rogue strata-Gem."

"Come on Peri," Amethyst whined, speaking up from behind Garnet. "Quit it with the pride thing right now, this is for Steven!"

"Exactly," Peridot replied, continuing her ironic rebellious streak. Her glare began to morph, a smile creeping onto her face. Across from her, Garnet's lips began to turn up.

"You won't do it for the Crystal Gems," she began. "But—"

"I'll do it, for Steven."

"Found it!" Steven called out with a cheer, stumbling out of the barn door with the nail in hand. He raised his prize into the air, the metal stud glistening in the sunlight like a trophy.

The Gems, standing far and away by the table, didn't seem impressed.

Curbing his enthusiasm, Steven turned back. His eyes glanced at the long metal nail in his hand before traveling up to the roof of the barn. The loose nail Garnet had warned him about shook in the breeze, plummeting to the ground just in time for him to catch it.

"Welp, might as well get this done," Steven said, cheer returning to his voice. With one push of his legs, Steven leapt. He rose into the air with a gentle jaunt, rearing back as he hit the peak of his jump. With a toss, he threw the new nail into the hole, lodging it in place. He fell back down to Earth with a smile, his work complete.

Beep Beep!

The distinct sound of a car horn roused Steven's attention. Turning, a grin took his face.

"Connie's here!" Steven's voice called out, attracting the gazes of the Gems as he rushed from the barn. They smiled, returning to their work as Steven greeted the last guest.

Greg's van rolled to a smooth stop just as Steven skidded to a halt at its side. The passenger door blew open, a flash of blue and brown shooting out a moment later.

"Steven!" the blur cried, tackling Steven into a tight hug. Said blur, who's true identity was, in fact, Connie, laughed, wrapping her arms around the boy as he spun her around. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thank you!" Steven cried back with a giggle, gently placing the girl down on the ground. His hands brushed the fabric of her blue dress, attracting his attention and a realization a moment later. "Oh, is that—"

"The dress Pearl gave me," Connie answered with a smile, lifting the edge of the cloth's end. "All the metal and armor was removable, so it just ended up as a really pretty dress!"

"Ah, wow, that's so cool!" The deep blue hue of the cloth captured Steven's eyes. He smiled. "I'm glad you brought it."

"Well, it is the nicest one I owned," Connie replied.

A quiet pause took the two. Not one out of awkwardness or a lack of anything to say, but out of contentment. Steven and Connie looked at one another, relaxed smiles mirroring their faces. They were comfortable in the quiet, they didn't need words to talk.

Connie's scarred skin peeked out from the edges of the blue dress, only barely visible even in broad daylight. If it weren't for the long marks right there on her face, Steven might've even been able to forget she had them. That was only a hypothetical 'might', of course. Steven would never forget the marks that danced across Connie's skin.

Because Connie would never forget them either.

"So, yeah!" Steven exclaimed, turning away quickly as he knew Connie would follow. "This is the barn! I'm surprised your parents are letting you stay for the weekend."

"Heh, it wasn't easy, especially so soon." Connie followed Steven as he approached the Gems. Her mind wandered, but after a moment she dismissed her thoughts. No reason to idle in memories. "My Mom only let me come after equipping me with every piece of safety gear on the planet!"

As if on cue, Greg stumbled out of the back of the van, a pile of equipment and wires entrapping him.

"Hey, uh, what should I do with this defibrillator?!" he called out, picking up the distinct electric paddles.

"You can just leave it in there for now!" Connie called back, cupping her hands over her mouth. The two shared a nod before Connie turned back, smiling at Steven. He grinned.

"I'm glad you could make it," he beamed.

"Me too." Connie threw her arms around Steven, pulling him in for a tight hug.

"Alright, move it over, Connie." Greg approached with a wide smile at the two as they separated. "I was his best friend first."

In one motion, Greg gripped Steven in a tight bear hug, trying and giving up on lifting him in a second.

"Oof, Happy birthday!" he cheered, content with leaning over rather than lifting Steven up like he used to. "Ooookay, shtoo-ball. Lemme get a look at you!"

"Daaaad," Steven cried, giving a fake and amused whine. Greg laughed.

"Sorry, it's just hard to believe how much my little boy has grown!" Greg's hand laid flat against the top of Steven's head, showing off the now minor height difference between the two. "It seems like just the other week you were three foot nothing!"

"That's cause he was, Mr. Universe!" Connie said, giggling.

"I know, I know, I'm only pulling your leg," Greg replied with a wink. "Wondering if I can add a few more inches that way."

Laughter took the group of three.

"Hehe." Connie wiped a tear from her eye, beaming at the two whilst they came down from their laughing high.

"Alright, I'm gonna go finish unloading the stuff from the van," Greg said, wiping a tear from his eye. He walked off.

"Oh! I should grab my luggage." Connie's eyes lit up as she turned, following Greg along.

"Ah, let me handle it, go say hi to the Gems!" Steven suggested, reaching for her as she left. His hand brushed her's and then, with a flash, she shot back. A yelp shot from her lips, punctuated by the wince that rolled up her arm. She turned back to Steven, her arm shooting to her front in an instant.

The two stared at one another, a thick storm cloud of shock and confusion forming between them. The storm turned to rain as a realization hit Steven's face.

"Connie, you're— You're still hurt," he said, the statement sounding like something he'd just remembered, rather than realized. Connie sighed.

"Of course I am, Steven." Connie pressed a thumb into the palm of her hand, wincing once again as she pressed into a scar. Muscles relaxing, she continued. "It's only been a few days since… then."

A wall of silence sprouted from the ground, so thick and so impenetrable that Connie could be standing back in her own home, and she would feel about as distant to Steven as she did now.

So, Steven would close the distance.

"Connie, I'm— I'm so sorry," he confessed, taking a step and then another. Connie shook her head.

"Steven, it's fine," she said bluntly, looking down at her scarred hand. A sigh escaped her lips. "You didn't mean to hurt me, it was an accident—"

"No, it's not that—" Steven shook his head, eyes latched to her feet in shame. "—It's that I forgot. I forgot you were hurting."

"Steven—"

"Please, let me finish," Steven asked, his eyes flashing up and meeting hers. The wince from her that followed made him pause. Now it was his turn to sigh. "Can we, can we talk in the barn?"

Connie glanced over his shoulder, spotting the Gems at the table they had been standing by since her arrival. They were staring at them now, no doubt wondering what was going on. She and Steven needed the privacy.

"Yeah, let's go," she said, turning and walking off. Steven followed behind, his lips tight and flat. With a short skip, the two slipped through the gate and entered the dark interior of the wooden barn.

Steven didn't just stop there, however. He led Connie up the ladder to a raised platform above their heads, stepping past stacks of hay with her in tow. Finally, as he sat down, pressing his back to one of those haystacks, he was satisfied.

"Well, we're here," Connie said, sitting down and wrapping her arms around her knees. Steven mirrored her, going silent afterwards. "Steven, this really isn't necessary. You didn't do anything wrong, honest—"

"It's not just about hurting you, Connie." Steven looked down at his hands, his mind drifting. A lone image dug through his head, as he pictured Connie's scars laid over his own hands. "It's bigger than that."

"What do you mean?" There was confusion in Connie's voice now, unsure of what this was about. Steven looked up, eyes locking with her.

"I didn't just forget that you were hurting," he continued. "It's that I was worried about myself so much instead."

Unsure of what to say, Connie remained quiet as silence followed. She opened her mouth, only to close it a moment later. She was pressed to say something, but her bag of words came up empty. So, she let Steven continue.

Looking down, Steven took a weak breath, one that still shook his chest.

"I was trying so hard, telling everyone that I was okay, making sure that they didn't worry, that you didn't worry." He sniffled, his mouth dry then. A sharp breath followed. "And I forgot to remember, that you guys aren't okay yourselves!"

Steven's shout resounded through the barn, shaking dust from the old rafters above. But even as the solid wood of the sturdy barn shook under his cry, Connie remained strong, steadfast.

She saw how Steven shuddered, gripping his legs close and keeping his body curled tight. This wasn't just from now, it wasn't just him getting upset over himself. It was so much more.

"You're… not okay, Steven," Connie said aloud, repeating his declaration from moments ago. He nodded his head, eyes clenched with the response. With that, Connie's worry grew. "Steven—"

All at once, Connie threw herself at Steven, wrapping her arms around him in a tight sudden embrace. Her skin shuddered and cried out in pain, but she wouldn't let even a wince come out. Not now.

"You've been trying so hard, trying to help us by acting like everything's fine," Connie whispered, rocking with Steven back and forth. "You've been holding everything back, holding onto the pain—"

Connie hugged him tighter, feeling him shudder under her grip as tears rolled down his face.

"But that's not right, Steven!" she declared. "You need to think about yourself, you need to take care of yourself! You're hurt, Steven."

"But it's fine if I'm hurt!" Steven cried, tears raining down to the floor below. Turning his head, he took in sharp piercing breaths. "I can take it— I can take it for everyone—!"

"Even if you can, you shouldn't, Steven!" Connie pulled away. "You shouldn't let everyone lean on you like this. It's not good for you, it's not even good for them."

"Wha—"

"That's what your mom did, Steven! Remember what doing that did to the Gems when she left?" She tugged at his arm, trying to pull him in for another hug. Steven resisted, however. Turning away fully, he put his back to her. Connie sighed in frustration. "Don't you remember…"

Wrapping her arms around Steven, Connie pressed herself into his back, feeling him tense up as he sniffled.

"What it did to Pearl?"

A weak quiet took the two then, dotted with the occasional sharp pitched breath or tear-laden shudder. Steven became very still. His mind was abuzz with thought, thinking over Connie's words.

Is that what he was doing, he thought. Letting everyone use him like a crutch? To feel better while he wasn't dealing with any of his own issues healthily? Steven cringed as he pressed his face into his palms.

"Hm?" Connie's head perked up, the sudden motion taking her attention. Steven groaned.

"Oh stars, I'm turning into my Mom." Pained laughs trailed behind the exasperation. The irony wasn't lost on him. Trying so hard to not just be a continuation of Rose, and he ends up doing it by accident. Another forced laugh fell out of him.

"…hehe." Connie's laugh was similarly slow and forced, as she picked herself up from their embrace. Hearing Connie reciprocate his opening chuckles, Steven continued. He wiped a tear from his eye as the two untangled their limbs. With a huff, they pressed their backs against the pile of hay once more.

"Hey." Connie offered her hand, which Steven took into his own without hesitation. Squeezing it, Connie continued. "Please promise me you'll be easier on yourself. And let the Gems, and me, carry some of our own weight, okay?"

Steven remained silent, eyes pointed straight again as his lips flattened. Connie frowned.

"Steven—"

"Alright, alright," Steven responded, a weak smile returning to his face as he snorted and faced Connie. "Okay."

"Promise, then?" Connie said, putting the request out again. Steven chuckled.

"I'll try, but no promises."

Low heavy beats pierced the cool evening atmosphere, the deep bassline cutting through the ambient sounds of blowing wind and chirping crickets. Music drifted through the air, pouring from the booming speakers and spreading out like the delta of a river. Flowing down this tributary of musical notes, the song's lyrics soon became lost, floating aimlessly in the cool and poppy melody.

No one minded that, however. They weren't here to listen or sing along.

They were here to dance.

The improvised dance floor in front of the barn was makeshift in more ways than one. A tarp was spread loosely across the dirt and patches of grass, haphazardly painted shades of pink and blue to give it the appearance of a disco ring. No one minded that, either. They had a place they could dance, so they were gonna dance.

"You're doing great Peridot! Just one step, then another!" Steven's voice cracked the quiet loudness, drawing out a long snort from Connie behind him. The two were dancing side by side, looking on at the third in their group, Peridot, as she weakly moved her hips to the left and right.

"I wasn't built with this, dancing, in mind," she tried to excuse, her eyes locked on Steven's feat as they effortlessly moved back and forth.

"Hah, you weren't built for a lot of things, Peridot, doesn't mean you're not good at them!" Connie responded, sliding over to her.

"It's like singing, 'dot, just let the music take you!" Steven did the same, shuffling over to Peridot side with a smooth slide. "Let it flow through ya! Like a breath of air!"

"Pfffft," Peridot snorted, her shoulders loosening then. She resisted the urge to remind Steven that Gems don't breathe air. So, she instead took to Steven's advice. "Hm."

Her arms jerked up, as she tried to mirror Steven's movements on a slight delay. A moment later, she locked onto the shuffling of his legs, only to lose it again as he transitioned to moving around her and Connie.

For a moment, frustration built in her chest. Yet, as she caught the sound and sight of Steven laughing, it all drained away. Worry drained away.

She laughed and began to move along at a quicker pace. Her arms waved from side to side, her hip just out of sync in a way that'd infuriate her usually. Now, however, it was pleasant. Her head bobbed along after, adding another unit to the chaotic symphony that was her body.

It was far from elegant, but it was fun, so that was all that mattered.

Yet, as soon as Peridot's discordant jaunt began, it came to an end, as the music cut out.

"This one's for the birthday boy, and his closest friends." The voice of Garnet pierced the air, calling the party goers to the speaker set up. Standing there, Garnet grinned at the three, spinning a new record on her finger. Amethyst, next to her, gave a wave to the group, returning to her small talk with Greg a moment later.

Without another word, Garnet placed the record on the player and a new song began to ring out.

It was slow at first, only speeding up after a long build up with the opening notes. Smooth piano tones backdropped light violin highlights, a calm duet of two instruments.

A duet: That's what it was.

Steven's eyes went to Peridot, who looked at him with a shrug of confusion. He laughed then, offering his hand. Without another word, Peridot slipped her palm into his. Lightly tugging on her, Steven brought Peridot closer, their other hands joining together after.

"What is this?" she asked with a snort, unsure of but not disliking it. Steven placed Peridot's hands on his shoulders, before his own traveled to her sides.

"It's a slow dance, you'll like it, hehe," he explained with an awkward laugh. A small blush grew on his cheeks as a silent moment grew between the , they didn't remain silent, not at all. No, they exchanged meaning through their gazes and their smiles. Little needed to be said between them, nowadays.

As Steven began to guide Peridot through the slow back and forth of the dance, they drifted away from the center of the dance floor. Connie looked on the two and smiled, a tinge of a feeling brewing in her chest. Turning away, she elected to ignore it. Connie was happy for the two. So, she wanted to give them their special moment.

Connie took a spot between Garnet and Amethyst, attracting both of their attentions as she turned to watch Steven and Peridot dance. They had sped up, if only a little, as Peridot began to get the hang of the pattern. Connie could almost hear Steven's whisper of 'one, two, three' to help keep her in time.

A warmth bloomed in Connie's heart, watching the two saunter across the dance floor. It was a happy warmth, one that made Connie's lips curl up, and her cheeks to grow slightly red at the sight of it. Seeing Steven happy, him and Peridot, it left Connie overjoyed.

Yet still, that feeling in her chest grew.

Connie sighed to herself silently, just as Amethyst and Garnet's attention on her waned.

It wasn't jealousy, far from it. Connie was happy for Steven and Peridot, ecstatic even. Anything that made Steven happy, she supported all the way. It was just that…

It wasn't exactly, healthy for her to be so invested in only one friend, her first friend. She was left by herself in the times like this. It left her lonely.

Connie could get used to that, again.

"Could I offer you, a dance?"

Connie's eyes shot up, attention suddenly coming back to her. A white hand greeted her gaze, and behind it, a soft smile, Pearl's smile.

"I, uh—" Connie stammered for a moment, the sudden request catching her off guard. She looked down to straighten her dress before back up at her sword master. "Pearl, what do you mean?"

"I mean, would you like to dance?" Pearl said again with a light laugh. "I saw you brooding over here, and realized it's not right to leave you out like this. You deserve a dance as well."

To Connie, Steven and Peridot were now a distant sight and a distant thought, her focus latched onto Pearl. Stepping forward, Connie pulled her back from the wall of the barn. Her hand drifted to Pearl's for a moment before she pulled back.

"I— I don't want to take you away from whatever you were doing," Connie said, looking off to the side. "You don't have to do this."

"But I want to do this." Pearl's hand moved to Connie's shoulder. Her fingers gently brushed skin and Connie felt relief as no shudders came. Pearl was always the most sensitive, regarding Connie's condition. Continuing, Pearl looked back at Steven and Peridot dancing. "Besides, what exactly would I be doing otherwise? I can't eat, or drink, and small talk has never been my strong suit."

Connie snorted then, her giggle turning to a full fledged laugh a moment later. Wiping a tear from her eye, Connie nodded. Her hand found Pearl's and without another word, the two walked onto the dance floor.

Steven and Peridot looked on from their slow saunter, surprised as they found Pearl and Connie approaching. Their surprise turned to grins and a moment later, heart-felt laughs. Shooting the two a wave, Steven and Peridot returned to their own dance.

It took Pearl and Connie a few moments to sort out the height difference, but once they were off, they were off. Their hands intertwined, Pearl led Connie across the dance floor, their steps moving back and forth in perfect timing with the music.

"You're a splendid dancer," Pearl commented, following as Connie initiated a turn.

"I had a good teacher," she said back with a grin. Confusion took Pearl's face, just as the two approached Steven and Peridot.

"What do you mean?" The turn of their dance went to Pearl, who kept it going as they drifted across the floor. "I didn't teach you how to dance."

Pearl smiled, her words ending on a laugh.

"Oh, didn't you?" Connie replied, an eyebrow arching upwards. Pearl handed control back to Connie, who began something new.

Right foot, left foot, after a moment, she began to go faster.

Keeping in time, Pearl sped up. Where was this going, she thought?

Connie's dance went on, turning the two as they continued. Right foot, left foot. Now going even faster. And as she was moving backwards, Connie's eyes stayed locked on Pearl. There was a moment, before it clicked.

"Right foot..." she mumbled under her breath. Connie beamed, as her message came through. "—Left foot."

They sped up again.

"Now go even faster," Connie continued, singing the line with a quiet yet happy reserve. "And as I'm moving backwards."

"Keep your eyes on me," Pearl broke into laughter then, her head dipping back as Connie brought their dance to a crescendo. "I guess I did teach you, huh?"

"Yup," Connie shot back with a smile.

And just then, the two found themselves by Steven and Peridot again, still lost in their slow and dreamy saunter. The music hit a high note, and the four found themselves turning in time. Following along the drifting melody, however, they paused.

Connie's gaze found itself looking past Pearl, over Steven's shoulder, and straight into the eyes of Peridot. The green Gem looked back, and for a moment the two shared eye contact. There was an exchange there, of understanding. Connie smiled to Peridot, and she smiled back.

The music changed.

Peridot's attention returned to Steven, focus straightening as the new song touched her ears. She processed it for a moment before her lips straightened. This was new.

"Music box," Steven said aloud, seeing the confusion take her face. "It's a nice style."

"Hm." Peridot stewed over the mellow tones as they began their dance again. One turn, two turns, then three, all in time with the melody. "It is nice."

"Yeah, nice," Steven repeated. Her attention returning, Peridot looked onto Steven, worry tingeing her gaze. He smiled at her but, for the first time, Peridot couldn't smile back.

"This has been, fun," Peridot commented, a hint of experimentation touching her voice. Without a pause, Steven responded.

"Yeah, fun," he repeated again. Frowning, Peridot tugged Steven closer, shaking him from his daze. As his attention focused and he realized he'd been caught, Steven put on a weak and forced laugh.

"You're dissociating," Peridot immediately warned, making him gulp.

"R-Reading those help books again, h-huh?" he said with a stuttering laugh. Peridot's frown did not relent. Sighing, Steven looked off to the side. "Yeah…"

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, her frown straightening to a flat line of concern.

"I've been trying." Steven initiated a twirl as they passed by Pearl and Connie again. "After earlier though, it's hard... Feeling much, right now."

"Between you and Connie?" Peridot was trying her best to remember the general events of Steven's day. That, however, she wasn't purview to. As Steven nodded, Peridot frowned. She took a deep breath. "How… how are you feeling?"

A smile grew on Steven's face. It was small and stuttering, but more importantly than that, it was real. For the first time, Peridot felt Steven was really smiling.

"Better, a lot better." Steven laid his head on Peridot's shoulder, his body loosening and relaxing. The two began to drift across the floor even slower, their dreamy amble becoming more like a cloudy drift. Peridot gave a sigh of relief. At least, she thought.

At least he's opening up.

Even as the music picked up, egging them to go faster, they remained in that slow saunter. There was peace in it, a familiarity they could appreciate. With so much in their lives changing, Steven and Peridot loved that they could always have each other, that they could love each other.

Peridot laid her head against Steven now, as the space between them disappeared, leaving the two wrapped in each other's arms as they wandered in small slow circles.

"Steven."

"Yes, Peridot?"

"I love you."

Steven grinned, his head picking up. Their gaze meeting, there was a moment of silent splendor between the two. True joy, true happiness that they couldn't explain and didn't want to either. Steven's sullen smile became a wide beam and Peridot would say it rivaled the sun.

"I love you too, Peridot."