This crystal infused island was strange, the same island Steven was stranded on. However the watermelon Stevens had made it their home very quickly, building huts and craving themselves into stone or forming mud figures of themselves too. The last few weeks were filled with meditation and inner self peace for (Y/n) and Black Obsidian. He spent his days on the shore looking out into the sky or sea while (Y/n) trained and tried, and with very little accusation, using their new abilities. Trying to form a pink bubble like they had done to the gems, however nothing happened. They had forgotten the nightmares they had gone through, although the haunting feeling of dread never left them whenever they did fall to sleep. The fear of never waking up and having to go through those nightmares again sent them into an endless spiral of fear. Which ended with sleepless nights, watching the sky slowly spin and the moon trending places with the sun- in the endless nights mixed with days (Y/n) had noted that even though they hadn't slept in days they weren't sluggish with fatigued and their limbs heavy like they had experienced in the past. Like the time they had stayed up for two nights straight watching all of the camp pining hearts series. Instead they felt awake, not refreshed like one would feel after a restful nights' sleep, but awake and aware. It was an odd feeling honestly and they had wished to feel the same restful feeling they craved, but no matter how hard they tried they couldn't sleep- making them feel incomplete.
Black had wandered into the village after a week on the sandy beach where they had landed. He looked the same, but in his eyes seemed off and had a far off look in them. The gold was no longer bright like when they had met. Black had gained the trust of the watermelons when he helped one of them carry food into their storage. They gave him a flower crown and dragged him to all the bonfires, where he saw (Y/n) meditating off to the side, their body facing the ocean. The crackle of the fire and the crashing of the waves mixed together and caused (Y/n) to be in a peaceful trace- until the sound of crushing leaves and grass was heard behind them. Their tensed body loosened when they heard someone take a seat beside them, peeking to their right they saw Black with his knees to his chest and his arms hugging his legs, he too was facing the ocean.
"Would you like some help?" He asked, (Y/n) sighed and dropped their arms to their back, their limbs holding them up from the ground as they looked up to the sky, stars covered by palm tree leaves.
"Would you know how to help me?" They asked, Black took a moment before answering. He had no issues with the new Pink diamond, after a few days of thinking he knew that it was possible for a human and gem to have offspring. Unheard of but not impossible. Thinking back into the memories of (Y/n)'s memories he saw that she wasn't Pink, or Rose, as she had last been. Steven wasn't her either, all they shared was the gem and nothing else.
"I do. I also know that in the future you and your brother will go through more trouble. Pink had a few enemies, but she had more allies. Rose turned those allies into enemies, you'll need to be able to control your powers soon." Black said, not bothering to turn and look at them.
"Why would you help me? Help us?" (Y/n) asked. Their (e/c) eyes finally landed on the giant man next to them.
"For a deal." Black offered. "In the future, I will need your help for... something. I will help you now and you will help me later." He offered his hand to (Y/n), they looked between the man's eyes and his outreached hand. (Y/n) could wait and ask Pearl for help, but they had a feeling it wouldn't go well. With Black offering it seems that he wouldn't trick them, for wanting something in the future he guarantees that whatever he is planning will work in my favor and that (Y/n) will still be on good terms with Black, enough for them to owe them a favor. For the moment (Y/n) didn't see any downfalls. With a slap of their palm onto Black's awaited hand they shake and a smile forms on the mans' face.
The next day Black trained (Y/n) as promised.
The first week would be focused on their physical strength. Training their body to the farthest they could go and recover. Running laps around the small island, holding their breath underwater, and then finally fighting one on one with Black.
The running was easy, honestly- (Y/n) had thought they would have had a hard time with this training but it went by easy for them. In the past they had a hard time running for long amounts of time, but the training Pearl had done with them had helped, but now after running around the island twenty-nine times is when they realized something.
"I'm... not out of breath." (Y/n) had said to themselves. Black claps from his seat and slowly stands up.
"Finally realized it, huh?" Black said as he crossed his arms. He had changed out of his old clothing form and changed into a simple black sleeveless top. Tight on his skin and the cloth stopped at his ends, the side cut and stopped at his waist, causing his shirt to swing between his legs, covering his crotch along with his black pants. A golden trim popping out against his dark appearance.
"Don't be a smart ass." (Y/n) glared at him, the seven foot man shrugged and unfolded his arms.
"You aren't out of breath because you're half gem, like your brother." He said.
"But Steven has gotten out of breath-" (Y/n) began but was cut off by Black.
"I've seen the kid and honestly, I can see why he is." Black began but he was flung a few feet away from where he was standing. Landing on the ground with a hard thug and his body impacting the ground leaving behind a cater three feet deep.
"Keep him out of your mouth. Got it?" (Y/n) glared at the foreign giant. He only looks back up at them from his place on the ground and nods. Wiping off dirt from his shoulder and piece of grass staining his form. But he couldn't let such a small creature land a hard hit on him.
"Let's move onto the last step. Shall we?" He suggested as he got into a fighting stance, his arms held up to the sides of his head, with his knees bent. (Y/n) stares at the giant man before them, in shock and wondering where he had gotten the audacity to jump from the beginning to the last step.
"Are you insane?!" (Y/n) shouted. "I can't even control my powers- I don't even know what powers I have. And you wanna fight me?... again!?" They shouted as they took a step towards the mineral who was ready to pounce on them.
"You are a human trained by a gem, no?" Black asked, (Y/n) paused but nodded. Recalling the numerous times Pearl had taken (Y/n) to an abandoned battle arena. Showing them how to use a bow and arrow, and when Pearl and Amethyst were on the rare good terms they would fuse into Opal. Who absolutely loved having one on two times with them. Pearl would have them running laps and ballet to help them be more limber and flexible. It was thanks to the long hours and endless nights that (Y/n) was able to fight alongside the gems, much to Garnets' dismay. The fusion didn't like having (Y/n) in such danger but knew they wouldn't change their mind. (Y/n) was grateful for the work put into them.
"Yes, but... God dammit!" (Y/n) shouted, flinging their arms up and letting them fall to their side, as they fell back onto the ground- their face faced up. Black raised a brow at them and slowly stood out of his stance, walking over to the human and took a seat behind them. Only now noticing how truly tiny they were compared to him. "This is so confusing..."
"How so? You've been given gem powers and yet you are still human." Black said.
"But that's the thing, I'm human- not anymore." (Y/n) said reaching up to their face and gently touching right below their eye. Hinting at a big change of their eye color. Once (e/c), now a bright neon pink. "And I'm not truly a gem. Thank god... but I feel like if I do return to my family- they'll think differently of me. They'll see me as... a monster." (Y/n) sighed and shut their eyes.
Black watched the far off look forming in (Y/n)'s eyes. The stare in the distance that showed a hint of fear and regret. Black looks away and up and at the sky, seeing the blue shade out into orange, pinks, and blacks. The stars replacing the clouds.
"If that is what is scaring you, then you have little trust in those crystal gems." Black said, not bothering to look at the human next to him, who was giving him a death glare. But they didn't say anything, because deep down- they knew Black had a point. They knew for a while they had grown to not trust the gems as much as they should. Garnet wouldn't tell (Y/n) unless it was absolutely necessary, Amethyst didn't care enough to tell them anything, and Pearl... she kept secrets to feel more important. It was harsh to think that, (Y/n) knew that but it was true, who knows how many secrets she was hiding to either keep Steven and (Y/n) from harm or to feel closer to the long gone Rose.
"... it's messed up, but I think the only people I can really trust are my brother and maybe... you?" (Y/n) stretched out the last word as they looked over to the Obsidian man. He didn't move from his place but didn't look over to them either. Instead they nodded as they watched the moon slowly slide across the sky. (Y/n) didn't even notice it was already midnight. That's how relaxed they were with Black even though he pissed them off fifty percent of the time.