Steven Universe: Mom Swap AU

Past Mending Part Two: House But Not a Home

"Buck give me a hand here," Steven requested as he walked up the creeky wooden stairs towards the boarded up door, a centipeede crawling past his foot that Buck accidentally stepped on.

Buck asked, "You grew up here? What happened?"

"It's been abandoned for a couple of years so," Steven explained, "not in great condition, but it has to still be here. Come on!"

"Steven I don't like this," Buck protested, "This place gives me the creeps."

"We don't have a choice this is extremely important," Steven replied, ripping the boards out from in front of the entrance, tossing them aside, "Let's get in there."

Steven opened the door and entered the run down house, which was full of dust and cobwebs, dark and gloomy, the wooden floors rotting.

"It looks like it's been abandoned for years," Buck explained.

"A couple yeah but we'll be in and out," Steven replied.

"You lived like this?" Buck inquired, "Or was it-"

"It was a bit better before we abandoned it," Steven explained looking through the cabinets, one door falling off the hinges. He muttered, "Where is it?..."

"Doesn't seeing your old home like this upset you?" Buck inquired out of concern for his little bro.

Steven sighed and explained, "Actually... no."

Song: This House Wasn't A Home

Based On: What's the Use of Feeling Blue (Steven Universe)

Steven sang, "Why,
Would I wanna be here?
What is it that I see here?
This was my house but not my home.

In fact there is where some of the,
Worst stuff that ever occured,
In my childhood happened,
To me just a few years back."

Steven spotted something in the corner under his bed and showed Buck as he picked up the black shards, "Why,
Would I ever wish to be here with all this?
The place where I started to lie?
The place where I was lied to?

This is the room where I learned I was Pink's son.
I don't wish to relive any of that!
I broke the tape that had the truth,
Out of fear of losing my loved ones."

Steven began to flashback to happier times he had here, talking to Lapis, cooking with Jasper, playing nerdy games with Peridot, and so on as he sang more sadly, "I won't deny there's things I miss!
But everyone was always lying.
Even I was lying.
So I just try to not think and-"

Steven began to glow Pink and cry, having to take a moment to collect himself as the song faded.

"Woah easy easy," Buck assured him, "You OK man?"

"I just..." Steven sighed looked at the shards of the tape in his hands, "This tape... it was how I learned Pink was my mo- I mean, my genetic mother. I lied to everyone but everyone lied to me. I love my family. Why can't we just be honest?"

"Steven," Buck assured him, "That's the past. The lies are over now. Has Pearl lied to you since you stopped White?"

"No," Steven sighed.

"Look you can just talk to Pearl and Sea and confirm they won't lie again," Buck assured Steven, "I promise though, it's all truth going forward.'

"Thank you," Steven replied.

"Need a hug bro?" Buck asked.

Steven nodded, hugging Buck. Afterwards Steven spotted a small box hidden under a decayed floorboard.

"There!" Steven exclaimed, grabbing the box, "OK let's go!"

"What's in there?" Buck asked.

"Jasper wanted to keep the shards of her first kill on Earth," Steven explained, "Put them a box so it didn't have enough space to reform. This is Centipeedle. The Gem I met in Purgatory..."

"I'm worried about this," Yellow Diamond sighed, "These Crysophrase Loyalists. We can't let Steven know."

"I know but if he's coming here it may be hard to hide," Blue Diamond replied, sitting on her throne, "Look, as long as Pheonix wins the election, we'll be OK. Just don't bring it up."

The warp in the center went off as Steven and Buck arrived, Steven greeted the two Diamonds happily, "Hey Aunt Blue! Hey Aunt Yellow!"

"Steven!" Blue exclaimed instantly and embracing the young man, holding him in her hands, "It's good to see you!"

"Good to see you too!" Steven exclaimed, "And you too Yellow!"

"Always a pleasure to see you!" Yellow exclaimed, "So you needed help?"

"Yeah I need to correct a mistake," Steven explained.

Steven opened the box and handed it to Yellow, "You can fix her. Right?"

"Steven..." Yellow sighed examining the shards, "Look at these shards. They seem... dull. Don't they?"

"What..." Steven asked, beginning to understand but still partially in denial, "What does that mean?"

"If a Gem is broken up to much, to small," Yellow explained, "It loses its color. Think of it... like what you humans call a soul. If someone loses a lot of blood, a miracle from a higher power as some humans believe or medicine could save them but if you bash someone's head open, they're gone. That's it. It's over. Their soul, if ya beleive humans have that, is gone. Breaking a Gem into pieces this small... it's like shooting someone in the head... I'm sorry... she's gone."

Steven sighed, faking a smile, hardly containing the mental breakdown on the verge of occuring, "Oh... I understand. That's OK. I should get back to sleep anyways..."

Steven floated down from Blue's hands, holding back his tears, "Love you guys... cya later."

"Steven are you sure you're OK you can talk to us if-" Blue pleaded, but Steven stepped onto the warp and warped away before Blue could finish.

"You good man?" Buck inquired.

"I just wanna sleep," Steven sighed, "I'll cya tomorrow. Thanks for your help."

"Aight but I'm here for ya man," Buck assured Steven as he left.

Steven sat the box of shards on his bedside table, closed it, and started to cry.

"I'm sorry," He wept, "I killed you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."

Eventually Steven cried himself to sleep, and had the same nightmare he had before of the fleshy place. As Centipeedle's death truly was...

Past mending...