On the evening of August 15th, you, Greg, and the original crystal gems gathered together in the beach house to celebrate Steven's 18th birthday. You had spent countless hours helping the gems prep for his party with care; filling balloons, hanging the banner, mixing cake batter, defending said cake batter from Amethyst's hungry glare... normal birthday party stuff.

You were almost done decorating the cake. You stood hunched over the dessert, your tongue poking out of your mouth slightly without you noticing it. Carefully, and ever-so-slowly, you painstakingly piped out each letter in the phrase: "Happy Birthday, Steven!" Cake decorating was so much harder than it looked. Part of you regretted not just ordering one from Spacetries, but hey- it's the thought and effort that counts right?

"Do you need any help?" a familiar voice asked from behind you.

Without tearing your eyes away from your work, you responded; "Steven, no. You can't decorate your own birthday cake."

"Says who?"

"Says... me," you set down the piping bag and looked at Steven, who had one eyebrow raised. "And... the council of birthdays," you continued.

"The council of birthdays."

"Yes, the council of birthdays."

Steven crossed his arms, "I think you made that up."

"Maybe you've just never heard of it," you argued, standing with your back against the counter. "It's a human thing. I'm kind of an expert."

"Oh, so because I'm part gem, I wouldn't know about this... 'human thing?'" Steven raised an eyebrow and leaned in closer, almost towering over you.

You kept your composure and nodded haughtily. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."

"You little racist," Steven sneered, the beginning of a smile creeping onto his lips.

"Guilty," you shrugged, looking up at him.

Glancing down at your lips, Steven smirked and cupped your cheek in his hand, his warm breath tingling on your lips. You closed your eyes.

"Can I at least see it?" He whispered.

You opened your eyes and immediately rolled them at Steven. "It's not done!" you argued, shoving him away playfully.

"It's not like I'm seeing the bride before the wedding, I'm just looking at a cake!" Steven exclaimed, trying to get past you.

"Okay, okay, fine!"

You stepped to the side and watched Steven examine the cake. You had done a white frosting base and almost completely covered the cake in frosted stars of every color. On the top was the piping you had just finished. The handwriting was a little bit messy, but because it was yours, Steven truthfully remarked; "It's perfect."

"(Y/N)!" Pearl called from the living room. "Is the cake ready?"

"OOH, YEAH!" Amethyst jumped up on the couch. "CAKE TIME!"

You and Steven laughed, standing between Amethyst and the cake.

"It's almost there, I promise." You told Pearl and Amethyst. "Go sit down," you muttered to Steven, cocking your head towards the couch.

"Fine, fine," he agreed, walking off.

18 birthday candles later, you carried the cake down to the coffee table, singing with Greg and the gems. Though, the gems didn't really know the song. Amethyst didn't even pretend to try and sing along like the others. She was dead set on that cake. As much as you fought her off, she probably ended up eating half of it within 10 minutes. You salvaged enough cake for yourself and the others, though. Just enough that everyone was happy, and there were no leftovers.

Once the cake had been completely devoured, Steven opened each of his presents from his dad and the gems. Pearl bought him an American map book for his travels, and you were suddenly very glad you didn't ask Pearl for gift advice. Steven, of course, accepted it graciously- not having the heart to tell her that he'd probably just use his phone's GPS.

Amethyst got him Golf Quest Mini 2, and it was a good thing you didn't decide to get him video games, because that would've been exactly the game you'd have picked. Greg bought him a new electric bass guitar, since Pearl had pretty much adopted his old one.

"Wait, Steven-" you spoke up. "How many instruments do you even play?"

"Uh... I don't know. A lot?" Steven laughed lightly. "Let's see... guitar, ukulele, bass, drums, piano-"

"Wait piano?" you cut him off. "How? I've never even seen a piano or keyboard here- or in the van!"

"I uh-"

"Open mine next," Garnet interrupted.

Steven carefully unwrapped the gift box, then stopped to think for a moment. After a while, he finally looked up at Garnet. "Snow pants?" he asked, confused.

"You'll need them," Garnet said knowingly, lowering her sunglasses with a wink.

"Okay..." Steven chuckled and placed the box and its contents to the side. "Thanks, Garnet."

You felt your face flush as you realized there were no more gifts to open but yours. You watched eagerly as your gift was handed over to Steven and set down on the coffee table. Fighting the urge to rip the gift bag off the table and throw it into the ocean, you wrung your hands in your lap.

He'll love it, you reassured yourself.

He pried open the bag, unraveling its contents from the tissue paper you had wrapped them in. inside was a cassette tape. Steven froze, gingerly turning the cassette tape over in his hands. He read the label, handwritten with care:

Two-Faced & Being Human

Speechless, all he could do was look at you.

"I asked Sour Cream, Buck, and Jenny to help me record my song, and I... wrote a new one. For you. Now you can listen to them on the go!" You said the last bit with fake enthusiasm.

Steven let his gaze fall back to the tape, which stared back at him from his hands. He blinked at it for a moment, then set it down on the table quietly.

"Do you... like it?"

"Yeah, I- I love it," Steven muttered without looking up. "I'll be right back."

You felt the room fall into a tense silence as you all watched Steven leave through the backdoor to the greenhouse.

You couldn't say anything. You just looked at the tape.

"I'll go talk to him," Garnet stood, breaking the silence.

You nodded, your eyes burning holes through that poor cassette tape. You wished you did throw it in the ocean.

💫

"Steven," Garnet stood in the entrance of the greenhouse. Steven didn't respond, but looked over his shoulder for a moment, then back to the ground. Garnet approached him slowly, sitting down on the edge of the warp pad beside him.

"I don't want to leave," he whispered, his words a cold echo inside the dome.

"I know," Garnet turned to Steven and patted her shoulder. He sighed and let his head fall onto her shoulder- which was a much more comfortable surface than it seemed.

"She'll be here when you get back."

"I know, I just-" he sat up and wrapped his arms around his knees. "God, I'm gonna miss her so much. I just wish I could..."

"Stay?"

"Yeah."

"You could," Garnet stared off to the side, her expression unreadable. "But everyone needs to be independent at least once in their lives. And if not now, when?" She paused, allowing Steven to think, then added; "you can borrow my cowboy hat."

"Yeah," Steven smiled bittersweetly, running his fingers through his hair. "You're right. I guess I... I've never really been by myself... ever."

"She'll understand."

"I know she will." Steven laughed sadly. "She's perfect, of course she'll understand."

"I love you, Steven."

"I love you too."

💫