Steven Universe fic

pt2 Chapter Seven: Being Wrong

"Spinel got her memories back!" Steven called as he entered his home, Pearl turned and greeted the two of them as they carried in their donuts. Spinel nervously laughed as she waved to the crystal gem.
"Oh," Pearl paused, a growing look of concern on her face, "oh." Her reaction caused Spinel to hesitate, she stopped herself at the door, though Steven attempted to pull her forward.

"She's okay now." He said enthusiastically,  though Spinel felt the exact opposite of okay. She felt as though her presence was wrong, unwelcome, unwanted. And furthermore, she felt afraid. The gem reluctantly followed Steven as he entered the living room, trailing sheepishly behind him.

"Steven-" she tried to speak, before he cut her off.

"Don't worry Spinel, I'm not mad at you." His words were kind, but she couldn't believe them, and they were not what she intended to say. Spinel let go of Steven's hand and pulled it to her side, looking away from him as she continued.

"Steven, I'm not okay." She sighed, gripping the nape of her neck as if the touch could comfort her. Steven looked back at the gem with a smile, not quite understanding what she meant.

"Sure you are, the diamonds aren't here, you have your memories back-"

"That's dandy, but-" she groaned, trying to put her thoughts into words. "I don't want to be here.." she mumbled, causing Steven to look at her, he felt downtrodden, why wouldn't she want to be here? Where else would she be? Where would she go?

"Why not? We aren't upset at you." Steven said, trying to laugh off his concern. Spinel raised her head and looked him in the eye, grunting in frustration as he continued to misunderstand. The gem flailed her arms trying to find her words.

"Not here, here, I mean- like, I don't want to be! Here…" she exclaimed, her voice lowering as she finished the sentence. Steven took a hesitant step toward the gem, raising his hand to comfort her.

"I can't be anywhere," the gem continued, now drawing Pearl near to hear her speak. "I can't be reset, or be with you, or anywhere without-" she faltered in her words, now afraid to finish. "I don't want to be anymore."

Steven's eyes widened with shock as he began to comprehend what she meant, what she was trying to say. A sudden wave of empathy hit him hard as he processed her emotions.
It was the same way he felt when he was in the diamond's captivity. The same way he felt when everyone, everyone compared him or equated him to his mother. He didn't want to be her, he didn't want to be anything.

Steven finally rested his hand on Spinel, providing her a reassuring smile.

"Spinel, you don't have to be anything you don't want to be." He reassured her. The pink gem stared at him in disbelief, before frustration clouded her mind. She pushed away from her friend, taking a step backward.

"You don't understand!" She cried, bolting out the door.

Connie caught a glimpse of the pink gem as she boinged away from the house, she had come to return the rejuvenator she had stashed in the picnic basket a day prior. Steven ran out the door after the gem before stopping to catch his breath, she turned to the boy, wondering what exactly had occurred in the sum odd twenty-four hours after she left yesterday.

"Connie!" Steven called as he noticed his girlfriend appear, he sprinted toward her as she walked near.

"So, I guess she got her memories back?" Connie asked, looking at her out of breath friend. Steven stood, gasping for air before trying to speak.

"Yeah, I don't know why she's upset though."

"I brought back this," Connie replied, pulling out the rejuvenator, Steven grabbed the disabled weapon and rolled it in his palm for a moment.

"Thanks," he looked up, watching the springy gem settle on the roof of the lighthouse again, "I'm just trying to help her, I don't understand why she keeps running!"

Connie sighed, patting Steven's back as he caught his breath.

"Maybe she doesn't know how to get help?" She followed his gaze, Spinel sat atop the lighthouse, staring off at the sky. "She's been through a lot, she has got to be feeling a lot too."

"I'm gonna go talk to her." Steven replied, preparing to vault himself into the air. He looked at Connie, who gave him a reassuring nod, before leaping as high as he could.