🌟 The Caged Bird 🌟 [Rebooted Reader Insert]

part 5: give it a shot?

"Y-You think?"

Connie stared wearily at the boy as he let a bright, confident smile enlighten his face. "Yeah! I mean, with all we've done, I think we can handle it!" He held you a little closer to his chest. "Don't you think?"

Connie looked down at you for a moment, like she were considering his decision, but then the troubled look returned to her face as she looked up at steven. "But... steven... that might not be a good idea either." She replied softly. "We don't know much about them either. I mean, we didn't even think their kind existed until today!" She lowered her gaze back down to you, frowning sympathetically. "How can we take care of something we barely know anything about?"

Steven frowned, as if he was offended. "D-Don't say it like that... we can learn more about them!" he protested. "Come on, do you think the gems were experts at humans before?" Connie shrank a bit, rubbing her arm. "I... guess not..."

"Yeah! So we can definitely learn how to care for a siren. And maybe teach them about us as well! And make them... less dangerous!" He beamed sounding almost determined. "I mean, if we were able to bring peace to the Galaxy, we could definitely deal with a baby mythos."

Connie went silent, mulling over her friend's words as she contemplated your small, sleeping form curled up against his belly. From the way your tail and foot twitched, you were currently deep in a dream. You even made light chirps and squeaks in your sleep. Although she had her concerns, it would be cruel to just cast you out without giving you a chance.

"Well..." after a moment or two, Connie appeared to have a convinced look on her face, though she still had a faint trace of uncertainty in her eyes. "Okay. If you say so." Steven, having heard his friend's approval, beamed brightly at her. "Awesome! This'll be great!"

Connie returned his smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She then heard her phone ding, to which she picked up and checked the screen. "It's my mom. I gotta get home." She gets up and dusts herself off. "I'll try to look for some more information about them. Maybe there's some more books or something online. I'll call you if I find anything."

Steven nodded. "Sounds good. Thanks!"

"Bye Steven!" With that, she headed out the door, and Steven watched as she disappeared down the porch stairs. After a moment, he looks back down to you. "Guess that just leaves you and me." You grumbled softly in your sleep, nestling yourself against him. He giggles softly to himself, carefully getting up from the couch. "Let's get you settled in."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Now... where to put you..." He hummed, looking around his bedroom for a suitable makeshift bed for you to stay in. Aside from his own bed, there wasn't really anything that would be comfortable enough for you to rest on for the night.

"Hm." Steven furrowed his brow in thought as he scanned the room again, his eyes catching the sliding glass door. "Ah, I got it."

He walks over to his bed and sets you down gently on the plush surface. You whined at the loss of warmth, wrapping your small wings around yourself to preserve it.

Steven responded by draping the blanket he had wrapped you in over you, to which you purred and curled up beneath it.

"I'll be back in a second." He whispered to you, before slowly sliding open the glass door and stealthily walking out.

You yawned to yourself, idly staring out through the clear glass door, up at the starry night sky. You squinted slightly, feeling a sense of discomfort pull at your chest, and you turned away from the door, with a soft click in your throat.

...I wonder where mother has gone. I hope she's okay.

You were snapped out of your thoughts, by the sound of a glass door being slid open. Turning your head, you see Steven enter the room, carrying in a large blue beanbag. "This ought to do the trick."

You watched curiously as he slid the door shut, and looked around the room briefly for a place to put the beanbag.

"I think I'll put it... right here." He states, setting the plush cushion beside his bedroom's sliding glass door. "That way, I'll be able to keep an eye on you overnight, and you have a view of the outside."

He then walks over and carefully scoops you up, rocking you briefly as he walked over to the bean bag and places you in the center of it. He crouched down and watched with amusement as you cooed and nuzzled at the soft surface, mesmerized by how soft and squishy it was. After some kneading, prodding to adjust, you spin a few times and curl up into a ball, letting out a small huff of contentment before closing your eyes.

Steven smiled to himself, gently rubbing an index finger over your small wing. "There you go..." He kneels there, smiling down at your form as you slept peacefully in the large pink bed, purring faintly at the strokes of his finger against your small wing. "That should do it." After some time, he finally gathers the willpower to rise to his feet and step back from you. After a few more minutes of staring, he turns to run through his nightly routine and turn in for the night.