💫Still Not Giving Up💫

Chapter Nine

*ding!*

you rolled over in your bed with a groan and grabbed your phone. it was a text from Lindsay.

Lindsay: who was that adorable boy you were with yesterday? we would love to meet him sometime

Y/N: just a friend. i'll talk to him and we can work something out

agreeing was a terrible idea, and you knew it. but if you didn't set something up now she would probably weasel a way into his schedule later. you got up reluctantly at the sound of your mother yelling about something bills and taxes.

you changed into your daytime clothes while trying to rub sleep out of your eyes. it had been a week since the beach day with Steven, and today was the day you and Steven agreed upon to meet the gems. you were supposed to meet him at Little Homeworld, so he could show you around and introduce you to his friends and family.

to say you were nervous was an understatement.

you waited until the yelling had died down to leave your room, creeping towards the front door. when you reached it your father called out to you. "where ya off too kiddo?" he asked mindlessly. he was filling out forms at the kitchen table, and didn't even look up.

"gonna light our bushes on fire." you opened the front door.

"okay, have fun."

———
only a few minutes into your walk a car pulled up next to you and the passenger window rolled down.

"hey Y/N, i was about to call you! need a ride?" Steven grinned at you from the passengers seat. the hand resting on the steering wheel was tapping to the beat of whatever song he had playing quietly. your gloomy mood immediately dissolved as you hopped into the passenger seat. "are you to meet the gems?" he asked.

you shrugged, trying to hide your nervousness. "yes, just, um, are you sure they'll like me?"

Steven looked personally offended by your comment, reaching over to grab your hand. "of course they will!" the small conversation had died down, but he didn't let go of your hand. your face heated up, and you tried to suppress a giddy smile.

oh stars she thinks I'm so weird now, WHY DIDNT I LET GO OF HER HAND? now it's been too long, it would be weird to let go of it now. is my hand sweating?

after a few minutes of comfortable silence Steven parked the car in a reserved spot in front of Little Homeworld. you had already been here many times before, so you didn't need a tour; but you didn't want to ruin his excitement. he grabbed your hand and pulled you through the entrance, greeting most of the gems you passed by name.

"alright, first stop; Peridots garden!" Steven stopped in front of the large greenhouse filled with various plants and flowers. "oh, Lapis is in here too!" he pulled you inside and waved his friends over.

the green and blue gems approached you with a smile. "hey Y/N!" Lapis greeted.

"you guys know eachother?" Steven asked.

"i do not!" Peridot yelled, interrupting Lapis. she stomped up to you. "hello human, i am Peridot! Lazuli as spoken of you." she stuck her hand straight out for you to shake.

Lapis leaned in. "how are you? after the... ocean incident?"

your face paled, and you looked to Steven to make sure he hadn't heard. "i'm better, thanks." you offered her a small smile and prayed Peridot would stop shaking your hand before she ripped your arm off.

Peridot started to pull you across the room. "would you like to see my metal powers?"

you giggled. "sure." you looked back to make sure Steven was following. instead he was beginning to approach Lapis with an obvious question on his tongue. you grabbed his hand and pulled him with you, not wanting to be alone with the loud gem. a light blush tinted his cheeks, but thankfully no one seemed to notice. Peridot kicked over a trash can and hovered her hands over the lid, starting to grunt and jump up and down. after a minute the lid floated a few inches off the ground and Peridot freaked out.

"hah! did you see that Y/N? did you see my metal powers?! cool, right?" Peridot smiled widely and starting jumping up and down again.

"yeah, it's super cool." You smirked and elbowed Steven, who started snickering.

"let's go meet Bismuth, she should be on break soon. do you two want to come?" Steven led me towards the door and Lapis and Peridot followed.

Lapis shrugged. "i guess."

"i need some fresh air." Peridot added. you all walked across the opening to a smaller shop made mostly out of stone. Bismuth stood inside alone, hammering a piece of metal against her anvil.

"Bismuth?" Steven yelled to get her attention.

"Steven!" she yelled back, then eyed you curiously. "you must be Y/N, Steven talks about you all the time." Steven smacked her arm as she approached you. she winced but kept laughing. she looked you up and down and nodded. "you look like a (favorite weapon) kind of girl. let me make you something!"

"um- what?" you stammered.

"what's your favorite color?" Bismuth returned to her anvil.

"(f/c)." You said slowly.

she grinned. "give me five minutes."

(edited!)