Connie

The hard part is coming home.

8 years had been spent, 4 in college, 4 "studying" abroad, and Connie Maheswaran was ready to come home.

From her 15th birthday the youth had been offered an enticing deal, a spot on the waiting list of the prestigious John Hopkins University; on full scholarship no less.

A "simple" test here, a early SAT score there, and she was ready to "go away for a really, really long time."

Ah, the words of her hammy friend, Steven Universe, he'd been especially broken up about her departure, last she'd seen him he'd been seeing her off at the airport on her way to DC, seeing past his tears, but seeing nonetheless.

As she sat on the plane as it made its final descent into Newark, New Jersey, she wondered what the her friend would look like, the last she saw him, he'd been crying his eyes out.

"Gate 34b? It is 34b right?" asked her husband as she paced back and forth, waiting for her daughter to arrive.

"Honey, she'll be fine." said as he watched his wife stress over their daughter's arrival.

"She could be lost, and were just sitting he-"

"Mom!" Connie exclaimed as she rushed forward.

"Connie." cried, as she caught Connie in a hug.

"Told'ya." Her dad said as he made to share in the embrace.

"It's so good to have you back, sweetie." said as they sat in the walked through the airport, and neared the escalators.

"Yeah, it's nice to be back, Spain was fine, but it's nothing like home." Said Connie as she walked with her family. "Beach city is where the heart is." She said as she smiled at her mother and father, she hadn't seen their smirk.

"Speaking of Beach City, we weren't the only ones who came to greet you." Her mother said. "he went to the bathroom but he should be here any moment now."

Connie gasped with delight as she knew who they were talking about, she'd be lying if she said she hadn't been anticipating this moment since she stepped off the plane, now the moment was here she was giddy to see what had become of her little Jam Bud.

"Connie!" Came a baritone voice from the escalator. She'd seen his face before anything else as it slowly ascended the motorized stairs, he hadn't changed a bit, eyes gleaming, youthful smile, all-around excitement in his features, mess of long curly hair done up in a ponytail, and a mess of scars that marked his- Scars!?

Yes, scars, apparently these last few years have been just a little bad for his once bubbly-looking face, not too many, but enough on his cheeks and nose, compounded by a large one splitting both lips, it had healed up by now, yeah, but it changed his smile so that you could see it every time he did.

'Alright, Connie, it's been several years, things happen, it's probably not even anything to worry about, and besides, he can't have changed that much.' She thought as she calmed herself as she saw his torso begin to peak over the stairs.

And more torso.

And more torso.

And more torso.

And more-'HOLY SHIT he's huge!' Connie thought as he made it up the stairs.

There he stood, 7- maybe 8 feet tall, his youthful girth molded into sumo-like muscle, and his demeanor ever childish as he virtually skipped towards her, every footfall sounding like a bowling ball being dropped.

"Connie!" He said as he lifted her lithe form into a soft bear hug. "Connie, I can't believe you're here, I missed you so much."

The comment earned a full-face blush from her that went completely unnoticed by the boy himself.

"ahem." Came the voices of the Maheswaran parents as they glared at the sudden gesture.

"Heheh" Steven laughed nervously as he put Connie down. "Sorry I just couldn't help myself."

On the ground, Connie took stock at just how large he was, she had just came past his gem in height as he towered over her, just 8 years ago he'd been shorter than her by a large margin, and now he seemed to be as tall as a building; she stood in shocked silence.

"So how've you been?" He asked, waiting for a reply, his voice so different, yet so familiar, as if someone had been adjusting the bass in her ears.

No reply came, as she marveled at his features.

"How was school?"

...

The silence had begun to get awkward for him, as he shifted his eyes nervously.

"Okay, Connie, you're killin' me here." He said as he looked at her parents as they grew concerned, for an answer. "Connie? Connie~? Connie!" He exclaimed as she lost her footing and collapsed.

Yep, coming home is pretty damn hard.

"HUH?" She said as she opened her eyes, to a very familiar ceiling, her ceiling.

She was still in the dress she was wearing at the airport...Airport...AIRPORT!

"Oh no." She said quietly as she jumped from her bed and rushed from her room, down the stairs, and into the kitchen.

"Mom!" She exclaimed as she found the woman sitting at the table, doing sudoku.

"Inside voice, young lady." Her mother replied, not looking at her.

Connie, knowing she wasn't going to get any information like this, took some time to compose herself.

"Time?"

"11:53"

"Airport?"

"You passed out."

...

...

"He went home around 45 minutes ago." She said, knowing Connie's next question.

This is bad, even If Steven had changed, she wagered that his heart was still in the same place as 8 years ago, he'd be heartbroken right now, she had to get to him.

" Mom, I-" She started only to be silenced by a pair of keys.

"Do not stay out past 3, young lady." Her mother said still not looking at her.

"Yes, ma'am." Connie said as she opened the door.

"Go get'em." Her mother said under her breath.

The drive to the temple was uneventful, but she anticipated that. It was too late for any real activity to be going on. As she nears closer to the beach she saw the gem temple in all its glory, it seemed to have held up since she left.

She rounded a corner and into the big donuts' parking lot, parked the car and went on foot.

As she walked across the beach, she wondered what she would say to him, how she would justify staring at him, a universally rude gesture, and worse, fainting at the sight of your best friend, equally rude, depending on whom you ask.

Up the stairs and to the door, she went.

As her hand reached for the doorknob, it calmly swung open to reveal Garnet at the door, She was as stoic as ever, gazing at Connie with simulated indifference.

"Hello, Connie." She said.

"Um- h-hi Garnet, is Steven home?" She asked.

"No." Garnet answered simply.

"Oh, um, where can I find him?" She asked again, a little on edge.

Garnet went silent for a while, as if thinking about something, though her expression didn't change, leaving Connie more than a little uncomfortable.

After an eternity, she answered. "the lighthouse, but he's on his way back-"

Just then, over head a large blur was seen, accompanied by a sound akin to a jet crashing was heard from the beach, coupled with tons of sand being kicked up as a result.

"-now, make it right, Connie." Garnet finished as she closed the door.

Connie, wanting to clear up the mess as soon as possible rushed downstairs, still unsure of what just happened, since when could Steven jump like that?

As she ran she heard grunting, as if someone was hurt.

"Steven!" She exclaimed as she rounded the stairs and came face to... Torso with the young man, as she looked him over, struggling to free himself from the hole, she realized how silly she was being, this is Steven she was talking about, she knew that if anyone, anywhere, had a problem with anything,he was the one to understand.

There he was, stuck up to his diaphragm in sand, actively trying to get out. He froze when he saw her face, as if he'd just seen a ghost.

"Connie! I- I- uhhhh" he stammered.

He then calmed his features and looked away, he started to talk plainly, all the while avoiding her gaze. "Sometimes, I overshoot these jumps and this happens."

"Are you okay?" She asked him, to which he looked back at her with moist eyes, seemingly about to burst into tears at the drop of a hat.

"Am I okay? What happened at the Airport? You worried me half to death." He said sharply, crossing his arms.

"I- I- don't know, it just happened." She said with uncertainty as she approached him, he was apprehensive at first, but soon pulled her into a hug which surprised her, but she soon returned it.

"I thought something was wrong, but I couldn't just lick my hand and touch your face, we went back to your place, but you didn't wake up, I was really scared, Connie" He said as he embraced her, his tears already starting to drench her dress.

"I know, and I'm sorry." She said in a motherly tone as he silently cried.

After successfully digging Steven out of the sand, the duo took a walk and chatted about the things that transpired during the 8 year absence, it seemed that the boy had seen his fair share of fighting in these short years.

"Wow, that's crazy." Connie stated, now as comfortable with him as the day they met.

"That's not even the half of it, so after Garnet had almost beaten this corrupted gem to death for pretty much cutting me in half." He explained as he pointed to a scar that stretched across his abdomen just above his gem, somehow he lost his shirt as they walked. "She proceeded to throw the thing by its tentacles and into a wall, boom, monster poofed, score one more for the CGs." He said with a giggle as if he skipped being cut in half.

"Uh, Steven, are you sure you're okay, these last 8 years sound like they were hell for you." Connie said with a hint of fear, Steven however dismissed those fears presently.

"What, no, no, no, it's fine. He said as he stopped in front of her and grasped her hands. "besides, you're here now, and that makes everything worthwhile."

This caused Connie to look deep into his eyes, she found the same stars there were when he was just a boy, so small and fragile, now he was a monolith, a vision that emitted power from his rotund form, and somehow... Somehow, he managed to remain the same indefinitely, he hadn't changed a bit. He leaned in, and Connie was surprised to see his lips puckered.

'This is it.' She thought as a heavy blush once again covered her face, she had seen more than enough animu and read enough mango to know what happens next, she puckered up as well, with closed eyes and bated breath.

*smooch*

...

...

Wait a second, why was her forehead wet?

"After all, Connie, you're my best friend."

What?

WHAT?

"what?" She asked him quietly, not really understanding what he did.

"What'dya mean what? We're best friends, and that's never gonna change." He said, with certainty, as he walked ahead of her, leaving her red-faced and quite speechless.

Oh no, He hadn't changed a bit.