A Day in the Life of…

Greg Universe:

A nervous Greg Universe stood outside of the Crystal Temple. It was bright and sunny outside; birds chirped and clouds passed slowly overhead, but Greg didn't notice any of it as the Crystal Gems stepped outside of the temple. They looked exhausted and their faces were wet with tears. Swaddled in a blanket in Pearl's arms was a newborn, a tiny, screaming thing that was glowing pink. No one said anything except for tiny little Steven who was still crying. A moment passed and everyone looked at the newborn, trying their hardest to not acknowledge the travesty that had occurred. Tears filled Greg's eyes as he finally asked, "W-Where's Rose?" Amethyst looked down and silently burst into fresh tears. Pearl, with a poorly concealed sob, occupied herself with the baby. Garnet laid a hand on Greg's shoulder, "I'm sorry," she said softly "we couldn't save her."
He felt a crushing pressure in his chest and the world twisted into black.

Greg opened his eyes and took a shuddering breath. He wiped away the tears he had shed during the night. The radio murmured morning pleasantries into the dark interior of the van, oddly disproportionate to Greg's nightmare which was a reoccurring one. He stared blankly at the black roof of the van with a quivering lip. A long moment passed until he was able to pull himself together. With a deep sigh Greg threw off his blanket and climbed out of his van into the sunlight. He stretched and scratched his belly as he looked around; making sure no one had moved his van during the night again. Greg was, thankfully, still just outside of town where he had parked. He reached back into the van and pulled out a shirt with no visible stains along with a newly acquired camping tent. Greg slipped on the shirt with only a little bit of difficulty and slammed the van doors shut. He had parked just off the road and in the woods. It was all quiet and not a soul was on the road. A doe with its fawn following close behind it crossed the road. It saw Greg and scampered off after a brief moment. Greg thought about his plans for today and grinned to himself as he walked down the road. A smiling Greg made his way into town. "Good morning, Sadie!" he called out cheerfully. Sadie was unlocking the doors to the donut shop.

"Morning, Greg! Hope it wasn't too cold out tonight!"

"Not at all! Save a doughnut for me, Sadie." Sadie smiled and waved at Greg as he made his way to the beach. Greg turned a corner and almost ran right into Jamie, the post man. "Whoa there, Jamie! Running late again?" Jamie stopped to pick up his bag which he had dropped in the near-collision.

"Late? Never." Jamie grinned and tipped his hat, "Have a good one Mr. Universe."

"You too." Greg reached the beach and lost a flip-flop to the unexpectedly deep sand. He spent a few seconds futilely digging around in the sand with his foot. "Gosh where'd you go buddy?" Greg set down his tent and dug around in the sand for his lost flip-flop. Beside the small hole he had dug the sand shifted around. "Aha!" Greg stuck his hand in the sand and jerked it back with a yelp. An angry sounding crystal shrimp erupted from the dirt with a flip-flop in its mouth. It hissed at Greg and scampered away leaving the disgruntled man sitting on the ground minus one flip-flop. He stood up and grabbed his tent cautiously. "Geez, hope that wasn't a magic thing," muttered Greg, worriedly patting what was left of his hair. Greg made his way to the cliff side where the Gems lived with Steven, looking all around the beach to make sure another one of those things didn't steal his last flip-flop.

He reached the bottom of the wooden stairs and music drifted down to him. Greg smiled wistfully as he heard Steven sing and play his ukulele. He remembered when he had taught his son how to play. Steven reminded him so much of himself when he had been young. You know, minus the whole glowing-gem-in-the-navel thing. A crab scuttled across Greg's field of vision and he jumped. He fumbled with the tent and dropped it. Greg flinched as he heard it hit the ground hard. He picked it up and peered into the pack it was in. "Eh, I'm sure it'll be okay." Greg walked up the stairs as the music ended. Steven was sitting on the couch with Garnet standing behind him, clapping; Pearl perched on the arm of the couch and smiled sweetly at Steven's music; and Amethyst laughing, sitting beside Steven. The door was open. Greg dropped the tent again and clapped loudly for Steven. Everyone looked at Greg, startled at his sudden appearance. "You're getting better!" he commented proudly.

"Hello, Greg." Chorused the Gems in unison.

"Dad!" Steven left his ukulele on the couch and ran into his father's waiting arms.

"Hey there, Steven!" Greg picked up his son in a massive hug and set him down again. Steven's eyes widened as he saw the tent,

"Is that..?" Greg smiled widely.

"It sure is!" Steven jumped up and down excitedly

"I can't believe you finally got it!" he exclaimed. Pearl and Amethyst peeked around Greg and looked at the tent, brand new and still in its package.

"Is that a tent?" asked Amethyst.

"Yes. It looks awfully expensive too," Pearl commented, slightly disapprovingly.

"It was worth every cent!" smiled Greg, who was watching his son bounce around excitedly.

"Can we go camping today Dad, can we pleeeeaaase?"

"As long as you don't have any plans with the Gems this weekend." Steven left Greg outside with Amethyst and Pearl to go ask Garnet if he could go. Greg shifted uncomfortably. He always felt so shameful when he came here to visit Steven. What kind of father couldn't take care of his own son? He was thankful for the Gems' care of Steven, he really was, but sometimes he couldn't help but feel a bit resentful of their situation. Pearl looked around awkwardly. She was sympathetic to Greg's feelings toward them and hoped he had a nice weekend with his son for once. Amethyst, oblivious to all this, looked Greg up and down.

"Um. Where's your other shoe Greg?"

"What?" Greg looked down and remembered his encounter with the thing at the beach. "Oh. Some sort of really weird bug with a gem or something ran off with it."

"WHAT?!" Peal gasped, "WHY DIDN'T YOU MENTION THAT EARLIER?" Greg rubbed the back of his neck and laughed nervously.

"I figured you guys already knew about it so I didn't say anything!" Amethyst leaned over the balcony and squinted at the beach suspiciously.

"I don't see anything, Pearl." Pearl joined Amethyst by the railing and began scanning the beachside. She shook her head with a sigh

"Me neither. We're going to have to take a closer look later." Steven burst through the door with his cheeseburger backpack on and his ukulele hanging from a strap.

"Garnet said I could go!" Pearl patted Steven on the head as she headed in.

"That's great, have fun you guys!" Amethyst followed Peal inside.

"Try not to get eaten by a bear!" She laughed and closed the door behind her.

"Do you have everything you need?"

"Yeah Dad, let's go!" Steven ran down the stairs and onto the beach. Greg hefted the tent on his shoulder and followed him down. Steven was already far ahead.

"Be careful!" Greg called after him. He kept a sharp eye out for any more of those crystal shrimp things and his missing flip-flop. Steven waited for his dad at the road's edge.

"Come on dad!" Greg caught up to Steven and crossed the road with him. They walked by the donut shop and Lars, who was sweeping up, rolled his eyes when he saw them. "Hey Dad, can we go get some donuts?" Greg reached into his pocket and turned red from embarrassment. There was nothing in them; he had spent his last cent on the tent so he could have a nice weekend with Steven.

"Um… well," Greg began, but Steven interrupted him.

"Please? Look," Steven dug around in his pockets and pulled out a small wad of cash, "Garnet even gave me some money for it!" Steven looked up at Greg hopefully. Greg smiled uneasily.

"Well I guess if Garnet gave you the money then…" Steven cheered and ran into the shop. Greg followed him in after a pause. Steven bought the donuts while Greg stood uncertainly by the door.

"Come on, let's eat outside." Steven set their stuff down on a clean, white table outside the shop and began eating. "Are you going to bring your guitar, Dad?" Steven asked eagerly. He had been hoping for this camping trip for a long time and had it all planned out. First they would go swimming, next they would start the fire and eat dinner, and then they would play music until they fell asleep by the fire.

"If you want me to, kiddo."

"Yeah! We can play together!" Steven finished his donut happily. Greg and Steven made their way down the road to the van. On the trip to Greg's van Steven regaled his father with stories of his adventures with the Crystal Gems. "And so then the whole spire was like WHOOSH! And it sank under the ocean!" Steven sounded disappointed. "And I still have the little statue."

"Well, if every pork chop were perfect…" Greg trailed off.

"Yeah," Steven reflected, "The Gems kinda said the too."

"They did?"

"Well, they didn't actually say it, but none of them were mad and they just told me the rest of my ideas were really good. Then Amethyst took me out for ice cream!"

"That's great!" Greg was glad to hear about their supportive nature. As much as he didn't like not having Steven, he would never have to worry about Steven being raised wrong. "Come on, I parked the van somewhere out here." Greg and Steven left the road and walked into the forest. "Whoever finds the van first gets an extra hotdog for dinner tonight!" Greg laughed as Steven burst into a sprint.

"That extra hotdog is mine!" Steven yelled as he ran deeper into the woods.

"Not if I find it fi-irst!" Greg sang. There was a loud, metallic thump followed by Steven's muffled voice.

"Found it!" Greg found Steven clinging to the back door of the van. "Hah! I get the extra hotdog tonight!" Greg approached the van looking skeptical.
"Hmm… I'm not sure this is MY van."

Steven laughed. "What? Of course this is your van!"

"I duuunnnooo…." Greg stroked his beard.

Steven let go of the van and leaned heavily on Greg, "Daaaaad!" he giggled.

"You know, I think you might be right. This IS my van!" Greg and Steven laughed.

"You're such a doofus Dad!" Steven hopped into the front seat and put his seat belt excitedly. Greg hesitated and was transported to the last time he had been called a doofus.

"Let me drive my van in to-o yoouur heart," Greg strummed the last note and looked nervously at Rose Quartz. His heart was pounding and he had never felt more nervous in his entire life. Rose and Greg had been with each other quite awhile now and Greg had spent weeks writing this song as a way to propose to her. "R-Rose. Will you marry me?" Greg removed the ring from his pocket and presented it to the love of his life. Rose gasped, "Greg!" she laughed, "You're such a doofus! Of course I will!" The now engaged couple wrapped each other in an emotional hug.

"Dad?" Steven leaned out of the passenger window, "Come on!" Greg smiled and got into the van. Father and son drove to the campsite, only rear-ending one tree on the way out of the woods.

Greg and Steven spent a fun afternoon at a local campsite, swimming, grilling, and accidentally setting Greg's hair on fire. More than once. Now the sun had set and the stars were shining through the clouds. Greg and Steven were sitting around the dying fire. "Hey Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you play for me?"

Greg smiled, "If you really want me too."

Steven yawned and crawled into his sleeping bad, "I do." Greg took his guitar from beside him and plucked a string. The note rang out softly. He began slowly, the notes rang out softly and wove a sleepy web around the campfire. The music compelled their eyelids to close and to simply let go for tonight. The last note shook in air and Steven was asleep. Greg smiled reflectively at his son wrapped up in his sleeping bag. The father stayed up a bit longer, thinking about the way things could have been today. If only Rose had still been with them.
Eventually he crawled into his own sleeping bag, careful not to wake Steven. Greg sighed softly and got comfortable. Silence.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, Steven."

Father and soon drifted off to sleep. Greg didn't have any nightmares tonight.