The Crystal Gems were clearing up the debris from the Gem ship off the beach. Y/n was stood holding a bottle of water as Steven digs into the sand with a shovel and picks up a small piece of debris.

"Do we really have to get every piece?" Steven asks as he wipes his forehead and Y/n gives Steven the water bottle now.

Garnet pulls out a larger piece from the sand. "Yes, having a wrecked ship lying around is too dangerous. We've got to take care of it... all of it."

"I'm sorry there's not more I can do to help." Y/n says feeling slightly guilty.

"That's alright Y/n." Pearl says in an understanding voice. "You were told by the human doctors to let your ribs rest and heal for a few weeks and that's exactly what you will be doing." She tells then tells him.

"Yes Pearl." Y/n replies.

"Excellent." Pearl says delighted as she starts to pile the debris together. "We're more then capable of this cleaning up job, although we need to start looking for Peridot's escape pod too, assuming she even made it to Earth."

"There's a lot of work ahead of us." Garnet comments.

Steven drops the small debris into a trash bag. "On it."

"I can at least keep you company." Y/n offers Steven who nods with a smile.

Steven and Y/n had walked to the other side of the beach as Steven digs up a huge piece of debris that had been buried under the sand.

"Wow, that's a big one." Y/n comments.

Steven continues digging up some more debris when someone starts calling his and Y/n's name.

"Y/n! Steven!"

"Huh?" Steven asks.

Steven and Y/n look up and realizes it is Jenny, Buck and Sour Cream.

"Yo!" Buck says.

"Hey Y/n, Steven, welcome back to Earth." Jenny jokes.

"What? Who told you?!" Steven asks startled.

"You two looked a million miles away, man." Sour Cream says now.

"Oh, heh-heh." Steven nervously laughs.

"Sorry, we must have been zoning out." Y/n says.

"We were about to go chill in the parking lot and freak out some squares." Buck says now.

"You should come with." Jenny suggests.

"Oh, but I...I don't have anything against squares. I like all basic shapes." Steven says.

"I guess I like squares?" Y/n just shrugs.

Buck chuckles. "Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. You guys got that much needed counterpart to our cynical world view. You have to come."

"It's good energy flow." Sour Cream says as he waves his arm.

"Sorry, guys, but I got a lot of important gem work to do." Steven says.

"Maybe later." Y/n then suggests.

"Aww." Jenny sighs.

"Bummer." Sour Cream comments.

"Well, catch you later, then." Buck waves as he Jenny, and Sour Cream walk away, and Steven goes back to digging.

It was night time now and Steven is lying on his bed, moaning in soreness. "Ugh, the calluses on my hands have calluses." He groans to Y/n who was getting ready to leave the temple and head back home.

"Well, you certainly worked hard today." Y/n tells him.

" A working man's burden is truly a heavy one." Steven rolls over and sighs.

A thump is heard from the window beside Steven's bed. Steven crawls out of his bed and looks out the window, when a slice of pizza hits the window, startling him.

"Huh, pizza rain, but no pizza clouds." Steven says looking up before he looks down and see Buck and Sour Cream hurling pizza slices at his windows.

Steven and Y/n then exits the house and approaches them.

"What are you guys doing here? And why are you making it pizza rain?" Steven asks them.

"I only wanted to see you laughing, in the pizza rain." Buck answers.

Steven just looks confused. "Is that a reference to something?"

"C'mon. It's time to hang out." Buck says now.

"When I said maybe later I didn't exactly mean this kind of later." Y/n chuckles.

"Yeah we can't hang out at night! Night is for dreaming." Steven says.

"Night is whatever you want it to be, time is an illusion." Sour Cream says.

Steven ponders. "Hmmm..."

"Aren't you done working for the day?" Buck asks.

"Hmm. Yeah... Okay, let's hang out!" Steven says.

"Nice!" Buck comments. "Y/n, You in?

"Well it might be nice to do something realizing for a change." Y/n hums. "Alright, I'm in, As long as were not out too late."

"But first, we have to deliver the rest of this pizza to Mr. Smiley." Sour Cream says holding up a box of pizza.

"Oh man he's not going to be happy..." Y/n comments as he looks at the half empty box of pizza.

"Y/n, Steven, Buck and Sour Cream were riding in Jenny's car as she drove them out of town.

"Whoo! Wind in your face, that's what I'm talking about!" Jenny cheers.

"Breathe deep, Y/n, Steven. This is the smell of freedom." Buck tells them.

Steven inhales. "Freedom smells like pepperoni."

Jenny just laughs. "That's just the car."

"You know what food definitely doesn't smell like freedom? Fish!" Sour Cream complains.

"Why fish?" Y/n asks.

"Uh oh, here we go." Jenny says.

"I just don't get what's wrong with wantin' to be a deejay. But my step-dad was all on my case today saying " Sour Cream then imitates Yellowtail's murmurs mockingly. "Eugh. I'm just like, I don't want to be a fisherman. Everyone knows you can't rave in a raincoat, step-dad!"

"At least he only bugs you about one thing. My dad's gotta say something about everything I do, 'cause I'm the mayor's son. And I'm like, you can't tell me what to do, I'm the mayor's... wait." Buck says.

Jenny laughs. "Puh-lease, you're are walking in cake with that talk. You guys don't even know what bad is until you have a sister. Look, I don't know why I have to spell it out that I'm the evil twin and she's the good one! Don't ask me to help you with your homework, I'm at some metal concert."

"My dad wasn't speaking to me for the last few months and we got into a argument recently, He doesn't like some of the life choices I have been making." Y/n says as he rests his head in his hand. "But in the end we managed to sort things out."

"Damn man..."

"Family stuff is hard..." Steven says looking down in the back of car and the cool kids nod in agreement. "A few months back, my dad and the Gems grounded me from TV."

"That's the worst."

"Bummer."

"No way!"

The cool kids all respond at the same time.

"And then I found out that the Gems are alien rebels, and there are other Gems out there that want us dead because they think we're traitors. And they tried to take me hostage because they think I'm my mom. And maybe I kinda am?" Steven sighs. "I wish I could talk to Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl about it, but I think they kinda blame me for my mom not being around."

There is an awkward silence between Steven and the cool kids. Jenny then turns off the radio.

"Steven..." Y/n says sadly not realising this was how Steven felt.

"That's heavy." Jenny comments.

"I guess." Steven says.

"But you always seem so upbeat. You're a real champ, Steven Universe." Buck tells him.

"Yeah, I'd turn to fishing in a heartbeat if it meant not dealing with tha... THAT!" Sour Cream suddenly calls out startled and he points abruptly.

Jenny quickly stops the car and it screeches to a halt.

"Look at that!" Sour Cream says in awe of something.

"What?! What did I hit?! What is it?! Jenny asks panicked.

"What is that?" Y/n asks as he looks to the side.

"Glooowiiiing." Sour cream says as he points at a green glowing aura in wheat field. "We gotta check it out."

"I'm down." Buck is quick to say.

"Alright, hold on." Jenny shifts the car gear and starts driving into the wheat field. The groups then gets out the car and examine the strange crop formation.

"That's, like, as bright as like 600 glowsticks." Sour Cream comments.

The group approaches the center of the crop formation and discovers a beat-up pod in the middle of a crater.

"Y/n It's Peridot's escape pod!" Steven says before he inhales deeply and turns to the cool kids. "Okay, everybody step back. This is a gem machine and could be extremely dangerous."

Sour Cream just carries a rock over. "Check it out."

"What are you doing?!" Steven cries.

"Ugh!" Sour Cream hurls the rock at the escape pod. "Boom!"

The cool kids then approach to step into the crater.

"Whoa, stop! Peridot might still be in there.

"Peri-what?" Buck asks..

"This biz is empty." Jenny calls out.

"Empty?" Y/n repeats as he slowly and carefully lowers himself into the crater.

"It looks so busted." Buck laughs.

"You need to get away from there!" Steven cries as he lifts Jenny away from the pod.

"You need to relax. It's not doing anything." Jenny tells him.

"It's not just the pod. This means Peridot is just out there somewhere, trying to hurt the earth!"

"Not cool, Earth forever!" Buck says and he kicks the pod.

"Here come the rocks!" Sour Cream cries as he dumps more rocks on the pod.

"Steven, come take a selfie with me and this thing." Jenny says taking out her phone.

"No, Jenny, I'm serious." Steven says crossing his arms.

"So am I. Y/n, Sour Cream, what about you?" Jenny asks.

"I'll pass." Y/n says.

"I'm down with whatever." Sour Cream shrugs.

"Buck?" Jenny asks him.

"Nah, I like to just experience the moment for what it is sometimes. Plus the lighting is weird."

"Ugh, okay. Steven. Last call. I got funny stickers..."

Jenny proceeds to take a series of selfies with Steven, Buck and Sour Cream. Steven appears initially stiffened, but eventually grows more flexible and comfortable.

"These are so good!" Jenny squeals loudly.

"How do I look?" Steven asks.

"You look great, look, stay right there, I'm going to take one more..." Jenny says before she gasps. "Steven, you should get in there."

"I'm not so sure about that." Y/n says

"Relax Y/n It's just for a second, one picture." Jenny says.

Steven and the cool kids gather around the entrance of the pod. They chuckles together and Steven climbs in the pod.

"Okay, ready! 3, 2..." Jenny takes more pictures of Steven in the pod, when he accidentally activates it.

"Steven!" Y/n calls out worried.

"Oh my gosh, Steven! Whaaaaaa. This is so cool!" Jenny says as she touches the pod.

"Whooooaaaaaaaa." Steven cries as he starts controlling the pod. The pod climbs out of the crater and tumbles on its head. It then begins spinning around with Steven inside, as the cool kids and Y/n climb out of the crater too.

"Steven, how are you doing that?" Jenny asks.

Steven was rustling inside the pod. "I think it listens to what my hands do. I really shouldn't be playing with this. I have to take this back to the Temple immediately."

"No way, you just got it working!" Jenny says.

"C'mon, aren't you your own mom? You can do whatever you want." Buck says.

"Yeah, you gotta do some donuts in that thing!" Sour Cream tells him.

"At least a dozen, baker's dozen." Buck jokes.

Steven looks at Y/n now and Y/n sigh. ""It's irresponsible of me....But you've been under a lot of pressure Steven. I'm sure you deserve to be able to have a little fun before we take it back to the gems." Y/n smiles.

Steven grins as he proceeds to have some fun inside the pod with the cool kids. Giving them a ride on the pod, racing with Jenny's car, making crop grattiti, and dancing

You really got the hang of that thing, huh?" Y/n chuckles as he enjoys seeing Steven having a good time.

Steven laughs. "Yeah, it always hooks to the left. We should really get it back to the gems though." He says now and Y/n nods in agreement.

"Nooo..." The cool kids whine disappointed.

"...Right after I jump that haystack!" Steven then declares

"Yeah, do it! Go, Steven! Yeah, whoo!" The cool kids laugh.

Steven jumps over the haystack and the pod tumbles. "I'm okay!" He calls out to the others and giggles. "It's not actually so bad if you give it a little..." Steven nudges the dented ceiling of the pod, and it closes up.

"Steven!" Y/n says as his smile is quickly turned into a look worry.

The inside of the pod begins to light up. "Aah!" Steven says in shock.

The pod then begins levitating off the ground.

"Steven?" Jenny ask before a shockwave emits from the pod, knocking Y/n and the cool kids backwards.

Y/n groans as he holds his torso in pain.

"Guys? Ah Y/n!" Steven calls out as he can see them but Green transparent goo begins filling up the pod. Steven holds his breath, thinking he cannot breath inside the goo, but exhales shortly, discovers he can breathe normally. The pod starts shooting lasers and its arsenal everywhere. The jerk causes Steven to accidentally activate a panel, sending out a flare high into the sky. The cool kids run everywhere and scream, trying to escape from the pod's barrage.

"Steven! What's going on?" Jenny shouts to him.

"Guys! Can you hear me?" Steven shouts from within the pod but he gasps when he sees the Crystal Gems then emerge from the smoke, caused by the laser barrage.

"I knew it! That flare led us right to the escape pod!" Pearl says.

"What's going on here?!" Amethyst asks.

"Over here!" Y/n calls out to the gems.

"Garnet! Amethyst! Pearl!" Steven calls out inside the pod but they can't hear him.

"Y/n What are you doing here!?" Pearl asks surprised to be see him near the pod but she now also notices the cool kids. "We'll save you, humans!" She says and hurls her spear through the pod, barely missing Steven inside.

"Pearl No! Stop!" Y/n shouts out to her but she doesn't hear him properly.

"I can't believe it. Peridot's still inside." Pearl says as she looks at the pod angrily.

"She's probably weak from the landing. Don't hold back!" Garnet tells the other gems.

"Got it!" Amethyst says summoning her whip.

Pearl throws another spear through the pod, while Amethyst grabs it with her whip.

"Wait! No!" The cool kids cry out now but their cries are ignored.

Y/n decides to move now as he fights against his aching chest and he starts to move towards the pod as fast as he can.

"You got a lotta nerve taking refuge here. Of all places!" Garnet grabs the whip and starts pulling the pod down.

"Garnet?" Steven calls out her name inside the pod but she can't hear him.

"But I don't know where you get off attacking defenseless humans in your dead-beat escape pod." Garnet says as she continues to pull it down.

"Garnet! It's me, Steven, can you hear me? Garnet!" Steven shouts at her but again she can't hear him.

"And if you think you're safe here, well I got news for you. You lost! Now!" Garnet summons her gauntlets and prepares to punch the pod.

"Garnet, Garnet, Garnet!" Steven pleads.

"Stay off my planet!" Garnet declares as she throws her fist forward towards the pod.

Y/n reaches the pod now as steps in front of Garnet's gauntlet just in time. "Garnet Stop!" Garnet halts immediately as hr gauntlet almost connecting with his body. "Steven's in there..."

Garnet's mouth opens in shock slightly as she looks at the pod again now and notices Steven curled up inside and she breaks the pod open, releasing him.

"Steven!" Pearl and Amethyst cry.

"What were you doing?" Amethyt asks him.

"You two found Peridot's escape pod and didn't come get us immediately!?" Pearl then asks..

"Dude, we almost wrecked you."

"Y/n, Steven, this is unacceptable. I'm very disappointed in you both."

Steven sighs. "You're right..."

The Cool Kids run up in front of Y/n and Steven now.

"Hey, cut them some slack!" Jenny tells the gems.

"It's not his fault!" Buck adds.

"Just let him be a deejay!" Sour Cream cries.

"...Wha?" Pearl asks confused.

"It's not Steven's fault...It's mine." Y/n says as he looks down at the ground.

"But you are always so responsible Y/n..." Pearl says sounding disappointed.

"I just wanted Steven to have some fun after everything we've been through recently." Y/n says now. "We should have brought the pod back to the temple immediately."

"Look, I don't know what's going on with aliens trying to abduct him, and him being his own mom. But it sounds like he's got a lot on his mind. I'm sure whatever you're having them do is important, but everyone needs a break once in a while." Jenny says now as she back Y/n.

"Yeah, Steven's just a kid." Buck adds.

Pearl sighs now as she sees their points. "Maybe we have been a little hard on them." She begins to think.

"Steven did just break us out of space jail."

"Steven!" Garnet says sternly and he looks up at her. Garnet then smiles. "You're ungrounded from TV."

Steven, astonished, smiles and runs up to Garnet to hug her.

"Y/n." Garnet now calls his name but he doesn't look up from the ground until he feels Garnet's hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for looking out for Steven, Even in ways we don't always think to do." She says and smiles at it and Y/n gives a small smile back.

"Hey man, I'm always making mistakes." Amethyst laughs and assures him.

"Amethyst don't encourage them!" Pearl tells her off.

Jenny then takes out her phone now and starts to take another series of selfies with the cool kids, Y/n and the Crystal Gems.

The final photo being one of Sour Cream throwing another rock at the wrecked escape pod, shouting "I'm invincible!", with a sticker reading Earth Forever!

And that's the chapter! I didn't get much time to work on this weeks chapter but I thought it would be interesting to show that Y/n can sometimes drop his guard and make mistakes when it comes to being responsible. If you liked this chapter or just the story in general then don't forget to leave a vote and a comment below as it really helps and I shall see you all next week in...

Love Letters